Blood Runs Red III
by Tsubasa8
Summary: Sequel to "Blood Runs Red II." Ruby could only remember the distance that had come between herself and Belle.
1. There and Back Again

A/N: I'm starting to doubt whether this will wrap-up by September 28, but it'll still get done.

Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time" is property of Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, ABC, etc.

* * *

There and Back Again

Waking in your bedroom shouldn't be strange, but it was – because Ruby awoke in the room she occupied at her grandmother's bed and breakfast in Storybrooke, when she should have been somewhere in the Enchanted Forest. The last event she could recall was Regina undoing the curse which had brought them here in the first place and Emma driving across the town line with Henry. It was like it had happened yesterday.

Granny didn't know what had happened either, so Ruby paid a visit to Snow's apartment.

"You're pregnant!?" Ruby's hand hovered over her friend's expanded abdomen.

Snow pulled her hand the rest of the way and smiled. "Yes. It's how we know a year has gone by."

A whole year that no one had any memory of had passed. If Rumpelstlitskin's knowledge was to be relied upon, they should have been sent back to the Enchanted Forest. Had someone cast the curse again to return Storybrooke?

Regina claimed to know nothing about it and was just as confused as the rest of the townspeople. Snow believed her.

Without a clue of what to do about their memory the people could only do what they could and continue their lives in Storybrooke.

The new curse had brought new residents to the town who were unaccustomed to Storybrooke's world. Some of them tried to adjust while others took to camping in the forest.

Belle knew one of the newcomers, Robin of Loxley. He and his men had come into town to find out what had happened and crossed paths with Belle on her way to the diner.

"A whole year…" Belle mused as she nursed her iced tea.

"At least we haven't forgotten our whole life," said Ruby as consolation.

"The question is who cast the curse. Rumple said the curse is affected by the desires of the caster. Someone didn't want us to remember the past year." It wasn't until Belle had finished speaking that she noticed Ruby's sympathetic alteration in expression.

"Do you… want something to eat?" Offering food to those in mourning was a standard tactic of comfort, but Ruby thought it feeble that it was the only thing she could think to say.

Belle looked down at her perspiring glass of iced tea. "No, I… I'm fine."

The situation was not fine in Storybrooke. Patrolling of the town line had resumed to safeguard against anyone who might cross it. The practice held increased importance now that there were residents new to Storybrooke who didn't know what would happen if they traversed the border. There weren't any problems that day – until Dopey failed to report back to his dwarf brothers.

At first the dwarves thought he might have simply forgotten (he was Dopey after all) but when he failed to turn up for lunch they got worried.

David enlisted Ruby's help to locate the missing dwarf. She tracked Dopey's path along the border until the trail abruptly ended.

"He's gone."

"We know he's gone, that's why we have you tracking him," Leroy groused.

"No, I mean, he's disappeared. Vanished. The last trace of him ends here, like… I don't know… like he was plucked out of existence."

Leroy gaped at her. "That can't be right! How can he just be _gone?_"

"Magic," said David. "Magic could do this."

"_Whose_ magic?" Leroy demanded.

David could tell Leroy was ready to blame Regina but the prince put a stop to it before it could begin.

They retired to the diner to brood over drinks, and that was where Archie intercepted Ruby as she passed behind the counter.

"Ruby, do you know how Belle is doing?"

"Shouldn't you ask Belle herself?"

"I saw her at the grocer's earlier but she didn't seem open to talking about it."

"So why would I know anything?"

"Well… isn't it obvious?"

Ruby stared at him, vigilant to any emotion that might dare to express itself.

"You're her best friend."

She didn't know how much surprise showed in her face, but Ruby certainly felt it, like a cold bolt of illumination. Snow had been her best friend for years, and she knew she was Snow's, but Ruby hadn't thought she might also be Belle's. The realization came with a prickle, because there was more Ruby wanted from Belle; and now maybe Belle was afraid the friendship she valued so much was ruined because of Ruby's confession. "Um… I haven't seen Belle since this morning. And we didn't say very much to each other."

Archie backed up with a wrinkled brow. "Oh."

Belle's true love was gone and there was no sign of Neal, but there were still people in this town that cared about the librarian. She still had a family.

The town librarian was spending her evening at The Rabbit Hole, picking at a meat pie and fiddling with the coaster for her pint. Earlier in the day she had ventured into the pawn shop, into the business Rumpelstiltskin owned and was never to step foot in again. What was to become of his shop? Some of what was in the shop were books, trinkets, and other magical items belonging to Rumpelstitlskin while the rest were what Belle believed to belong to other people in town. Perhaps she should try returning them to their owners…

"Well, fancy seeing you here." Keith had slid up next to her at the bar, glass of lager in hand.

Belle was in no mood for conversing with the Sheriff of Nottingham. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to see how you were coping."

From Keith, it was dubious answer and Belle frowned. "Really?"

"It looks like you're doing fine without the Dark One. I'd say you dodged a bullet there." A caustic remark cloaked in a casual tone.

Throwing a drink in his face seemed like an appropriate response but would have been a waste of perfectly good ale. "You – zip it."

He didn't. "Are you going by Lacey or Belle? Because like Mr. Gold, I'm up for either."

Maybe she should take a page from Ariel and jab him with her fork.

"Still unable to tell when a lady's not interested, eh?"

Keith jerked round, stunned and then madly triumphant that he was facing his nemesis. "_Hood_."

"Sheriff," Robin lightly replied.

Belle barely had enough time to understand what was happening before Keith lunged and drove himself and Robin into the nearest table. Glassware smashed, wood cracked, and punters gave way to the fracas.

The barkeep phoned David and after a minute the prince arrived on scene to drag Keith and Robin to the sheriff's station for the night.

Throughout all this Belle had been watching the chaos unfold and close in a state of static shock, but now it was over new thoughts settled in her mind and she turned to the bar to order another drink.

**- Later -**

"Granny's Diner," Ruby spoke into the rotary phone's receiver.

"Hey, it's Drew. I think you should come down to The Rabbit Hole."

"What? Why?"

"So you can take her home."

A few minutes later Ruby was traipsing down the street with Belle asleep on her back. According to Drew there had been a scuffle in the bar which Belle had been the subject of, and after it cleared she had steadily put back drinks of varying composition. It was somewhat baffling, because Ruby wouldn't have expected Belle of all people to drink into a stupor.

"You must really miss Gold…"

In her sleep Belle groaned and nuzzled her face into Ruby's neck, prickling her skin. She nearly tripped on the path to the Granny's Bed and Breakfast.

Ruby took her up to the room Belle had occupied on the day they first met and carefully laid her on the bed, then left and returned with a cloth to gently wipe away the bit of makeup from Belle's face.

_You're already beautiful enough without it_, Ruby mused to herself. She sat on the edge of the bed, watching her sleep, and only comprehended what she was doing when she became possessed by a desire to kiss her.

She pulled the bedcover over Belle as much as possible and then paused. Before she left Belle for the night she chanced a soft kiss to her forehead.

**- Morning -**

The first thing Belle became aware of as she woke in the morning was her aching head. She sluggishly recalled her actions the night before and rebuked herself for indulging in drink rather than conversation. It felt a Lacey thing to do – and then she realized with a sickness unrelated to the pain in her skull that she was in bed, but didn't know how. Struggling against the aches, she turned over and pried open her eyes. She was still fully clothed, dishevelled but not undone. Her assessment of the room came next, and it didn't take long for her to understand where she was. The bed and breakfast had become an alternate refuge for her.

A light knocking arrived outside the door. "Belle? Are you awake?"

Belle lurched at the voice and the resulting whine of agony was her reply.

The door cracked open, and then swung in enough for Ruby to come into the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Like the most foolish person in Storybrooke," Belle groaned, hands pressed over her eyes.

"I doubt you could ever be the most foolish," Ruby said with a wry smile. "If you're hungry I can bring –"

"No, I'll… I'll come to the kitchen. I just need a minute."

A further minute wasn't necessary for Ruby to make Belle's immoderate breakfast. Set out on the tabletop were dishes of scrambled eggs mixed with tomatoes and spinach, oatmeal topped with banana slices, toast and honey, and a bowl of kiwi.

Ruby placed a teapot of peppermint tea next to a carton of coconut water. "I didn't know what you'd be in the mood for so I prepared some options."

"You certainly did…" Belle glimpsed a grocery bag poking out of a cupboard drawer. "I'm sorry for inconveniencing you."

Ruby gave her a look that said she should know better than to say that of herself to her. "Belle, _please_." She sat with her at the table and poured tea for them both.

The sharp smell of the peppermint scraped together some lucidity. "How did I come to be here?"

"Drew phoned the diner and told me to get you. Apparently you were the cause of a fight?"

"Keith and Robin. Robin was… defending me."

"Drew didn't tell me much about it, but you were passed out when I got there. I brought you here instead of taking you to your place because… well, I didn't want to leave you on your own."

On the previous occasion the two had sat in this kitchen Belle had been worried about losing Rumpelstiltskin. Now he was gone and again Ruby was consoling her, although this time Belle felt she was taking advantage. "…Thank you."

Ruby tapped her hand on the table and stood. "Go ahead and eat something." She bent down to a flat rectangular package that had been leaning against a table leg and started peeling away the wrapping.

Belle nibbled on some toast as she watched her work. "What is that?"

"It's a painting of the pond Drew was working on. He finished it recently and said I could have it. He let me paint part of it the other day – or actually, a year ago." She picked up the canvas and turned it over. "You can probably tell which part."

Belle studied the placid landscape. "Is it that duck?"

The self-deprecating smile on Ruby's face vanished. "How did you know?"

"It's not as clear as the –"

"No, I mean, how did you know it's a duck?"

Belle squinted and shook her head. "What else could it be?"

Ruby bit the inside of her lip and held the painting a little tighter. She decided she would hang it in her room.

**- Storybrooke Public Library -**

The bulk of Belle's hangover had receded by the time the potential source for another headache arrived at the library doors.

"Hello, Belle." He removed his cap and squeezed it in his hands.

She regarded the man with a warranted amount of wariness. "Father."

"I wasn't sure if I should come see you."

Belle kept her guard up. "So why have you?"

"Your friend Ruby convinced me."

She hadn't expected that. Belle blinked, her defenses momentarily waning. _Ruby?_

"I heard about Gold," Maurice continued. His grip on his cap turned his knuckles white. "I am sorry."

Belle couldn't simply accept his condolences, not when his body language indicated he might well be struggling to contain his honest opinion of Rumpelstiltskin's death. "Are you truly?"

Maurice stilled, sensing this was a crucial point. His tired mien slackened and he gazed at his daughter, his only child, hurt to know she was hurting. "I am sorry his death is causing you grief."

She felt part of her heart break and Belle looked away. "But you still think he was a monster," she muttered.

Her father puffed his chest, and she steeled herself for his reply. "I think…" He coughed in his throat. "I think… he loved you. And he died to protect you."

Belle searched his face but found no insincerity. What she found was a father who cared about her feelings, and she gladly welcomed the security of his warm embrace.

**- Later at the town line -**

Sleepy was the next dwarf to disappear from town.

Ruby insisted she would have been able to find him if he had simply, "fallen asleep somewhere," as Tom Clark had put it.

_**- New York City Serenade -**_

At a quarter to noon Ruby passed though the library's front doors as though the building was haunted. She dropped off the lunch Granny had forced her to bring to Belle behind the circulation desk. Her grandmother had become fed up with the far-off glances Ruby would give a particular booth, counter seat, or the building under the clock tower when she was in the patio area. Belle hadn't stepped into the diner since that first day everyone realized something was amiss with their timeline; but Ruby was so used to seeing Belle in the diner nearly every day that any irregularity in her visitations threw her off.

The library was quiet. Ruby knew Belle was in because the door had been unlocked, but Belle didn't come out to meet her. It might have been because of how carefully Ruby had closed the door. Instead of announcing her presence Ruby paced through the stacks with hushed footfalls, tracking Belle's whereabouts in the air.

She stopped a few rows away from the table that had previously been used for a tutoring session. Belle was sitting at the table with her back to her, hand against pale neck which her up-do allowed Ruby to see. The cannery yellow blouse she wore was sleeveless, but hanging over the back of her chair was a burgundy blazer. Ruby heard the flutter of paper and regarded Belle's reading figure, wondering how much Lacey read. She would look like this, but it was difficult for Ruby to imagine Lacey sitting in one place with a book for very long. Picturing she was here was amusing.

Ruby took a step forward and paused, but Belle didn't turn away from her book. Another step, and then another. She closed in on her, careful not to cast a shadow. Then she pounced, reaching over Belle's shoulder and snatching the open novel out from under her hand.

"What'cha readin'?"

Belle whirled in her seat, wide eyes narrowing from surprise to vexation. "_Ruby!_"

Ruby grinned at her and flipped the book over to the cover. "_High Noon_, by Nora Roberts?" She looked down at the table and found a few more books by the same author among others that were not. One wasn't supposed to judge a book by its cover, but looking at the titles and designs Ruby guessed they were all romance novels.

The back of Belle's chair was shoved into Ruby's front as Belle stood, and Ruby staggered backward. Belle seized the book from her and scowled, but Ruby got the sense it was more out of embarrassment than annoyance. She smiled and Belle was taken aback by it.

Her gaze went to the book in her hands, considering, and then returned to Ruby. "The protagonist in this one gets handcuffed. And attacked. Not in a fun way."

Her dark humor was shocking, and apparently what Belle was going for.

She turned away from Ruby's gawking and placed the book in a pile with the others.

"My father paid me a visit yesterday."

"Really?" Ruby feigned ignorance in a completely unconvincing way.

"He told me you talked him into it."

"… Oh." Her eyes anxiously flitted about the room as words tumbled forth. "Listen Belle, I know the stuff between you and your dad is your business but I thought – well he's your family and family is important so –" Her rambling distracted her from noticing how close Belle had come to her, close enough to brush the hair out of her eyes and silence her.

"Thank you."

Ruby was lost in the vastness of Belle's grateful countenance, until fingers grazed her ear and she shrunk back. _Don't pet a dangerous animal_. "Uh, sure. No problem." She gestured to some vague space behind her. "I, uh… brought you lunch. From the diner. Granny's treat. I have no idea what she packed."

Belle pressed her lips together and nodded. "Please give her my thanks."

Ruby said she would and left Belle to her books.

When she had gone Belle forlornly eyed the romance novels on the table. She had reverted to reading instead of living.

Later when Belle opened the paper bag from Granny's Diner, she found it contained a tidy stack of pancakes accompanied by an individual bottle of syrup.

_**- Witch Hunt -**_

News of Emma's return to Storybrooke had spread through town, along with the caution that those who knew Henry were to act like they did not.

And Ruby nearly slipped up. "Here you go, Hen– young – man. Nice hot cocoa." She thought she had maneuvered past that easily enough, but then Henry had her turning back.

"Hey… Cinnamon. How did you know?"

In a moment of panic Ruby glanced at Emma. "Uhh, lucky guess. You've got a… cinnamon kind of face." She answered brightly, confidently, and it was enough to allow her escape from the boy's curiosity.

When she had first looked after Henry post-curse he was bursting with questions about the wolf, and mercifully none of his queries ever became too personal.

He had marveled in silence for a moment at the conclusion of his questioning. "You're a superhero."

Ruby gaped at the boy across the coffee table. "Uh… what?"

Henry grinned. "And a badass one."

She blinked at the second word which had come from his mouth. It was a compliment, she knew that much, but Ruby would never have thought someone might use that word to describe her. "Um…"

"You had this power you didn't understand but then you were able to use it for good," he went on, voice growing with admiration. "Super strength, speed, hearing, smelling… and then _Wolfstime_."

Ruby was still as she processed Henry's portrayal of what she was, and reminded herself of his age. "You make it sound great, but not all of it is," she somberly replied. The first full moon since the curse broke was approaching and Ruby couldn't find her red riding hood.

"I didn't say it was." Henry opened his bag and took out the book, the one Mary Margaret had given him, and placed it on his lap.

Ruby understood the gesture but doubted whether Henry could fully grasp the extent of what she had been though, of what she was, through printed words and illustrations on paper.

"Hardships change people, and they can let it change them into a villain or a hero." He beamed pure innocent belief. "From what I can tell, you're a hero."

The recollection of her time spent with Henry was followed by an event which happened days later, one Ruby often thought back on.

_So if we can all see it why can't you?_

Ruby was jolted from the reminiscence by the loud crash of Regina's cup hitting the diner floor.

**- Afternoon -**

"Is there something you wanted to ask me, girl?"

Belle flinched when Granny tracked her down amidst the throng filing out of town hall. "Um, no…?"

"Really? Because we just experienced an earthquake by Regina's hands but you keep looking over at me like you've got some kind of twitch."

She thought Granny hadn't taken notice. Maybe it had something to do with wolf senses. Belle shook her head and turned her eyes downward. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Granny sighed and retorted, "Right, because we both know who you should really be talking to."

Belle looked up sharply. Granny's expression was pitying and critical as she rejoined the shuffling crowd.

**- Granny's Diner -**

There were times when it was easy to tell how much someone's behaviour was being influenced by their Storybrooke persona. As Ruby listened to Snow having a one-way conversation with Henry, she knew this was one of those times. She couldn't recall Snow being this fretful over her pregnancy with Emma in the Enchanted Forest; although, access to books about pregnancy like the one Snow was reading from weren't there to raise her concern.

"My god… Did you know there's something called cradle cap?"

Henry's focus didn't move from the video game he was playing. Ruby continued to watch from behind the counter, eyebrow lifting and lips smirking. Did Snow really think Henry was interested in listening to this?

"Babies get it on their heads – it's a crusty, yellow, greasy, scaly, skin rash." She glanced at Henry to check for a reaction. "Seriously. This book uses _all_ of those words."

"Gross," Henry distractedly responded. "Yes! Derezed him."

Snow finally noted his apathy toward the conversation and dropped the book on the table. "You know, there's a library down the street. We could pop in and get you something if you'd rather. I know how much you love reading."

Henry briefly looked at Snow and shifted his position in the booth to face her. "How'd you know that?"

She formulated a reasonable answer. "Your mom, said, I think."

"Cool. Let me go get my coat, I'll be right down." Henry vacated the booth, still playing his game, and headed up to the bed and breakfast.

There was a quiet consternation on Snow's face as she watched Henry go that had Ruby consider if Snow was thinking how she might handle the adolescence of her second child. Then there remained the question of going back. The Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke were two different worlds to raise a child.

Snow pressed her fingers to her temple, returning to her copy of _American Baby,_ and sighed. "Cradle cap."

One thing at a time.

**- Storybrooke Public Library -**

"Hello?" Snow didn't see Belle in the library foyer, but after she called out she heard footsteps and then Belle appeared from the stacks.

"Mary Margaret," Belle greeted, surprised to see her, for not once had Snow visited the library before. "What brings you here?"

"This is Henry. He's the son of a friend of mine who arrived in town last night."

Belle looked the boy over, his maturation adding to the proof of Snow's pregnancy that a year had gone by. "Hello, Henry." She smiled and held out her hand which he took. "My name is Belle."

"Oh, like in _Beauty and the Beast_," he amusedly replied.

Her teeth clenched and weakened her smile. "Yes. Exactly like that."

"Uh, I know you're not really open to the public yet," said Snow, "but we were hoping Henry could borrow something while he's in town."

Belle politely accommodated the request and led them through, asking Henry what books he liked to read.

"Sci-fi's my favourite but anything with adventure is good."

She could relate.

"The library's certainly coming along," Snow commented as they gave Henry space to pick though the shelves.

"It's been some work but I enjoy it," Belle answered.

"And you weren't afraid of a werewolf shredding all these books?"

Belle carefully appraised Snow's outwardly genial manner, wondering how much she knew or if Snow White was making an evaluation of her own. "I was more afraid of harm coming to the werewolf than the books. Not that it mattered…" More than once Belle had contemplated whether Snow would have been able to keep Ruby in the library.

"It did matter." Snow was quick to reply. "She knows you care about her and aren't scared of the wolf – which is more than can be said about other people in this town."

Belle recalled how effortlessly a mob had been formed and stirred into action; and Storybrooke was supposed to be a more civilized setting. "Was it very difficult for her? Back home?"

"It wasn't so bad once she learned how to control the wolf, but she kept what she was a secret from most people she came across."

_People like me_, Belle thought to herself.

Snow tilted her head at Belle's downcast countenance. "Even then though, she had people who understood and trusted her. She still does." She lifted her hand, the one with her wedding ring, and rested it over her stomach. "Ruby was supposed to be Emma's guardian, in case anything ever happened to David and I."

Her disclosure of Ruby's planned role in her child's life had Belle thinking back on the days she had seen Ruby with Jefferson and Michael Tillman's children. "I would also choose her – as a guardian." The last part had been added impulsively when she heard how her words had sounded.

Snow merely smiled and then went to check on Henry. There was a reason she was Ruby's best friend.

**- Evening -**

The majority of folks in the diner had attended Emma's town meeting. It seemed everyone suspected Regina for cursing them again in addition to the dwarf disappearances, but Ruby was willing to side with Snow on the issue in that it wasn't Regina's doing.

"I think silver's not your only weakness," Granny remarked after Ruby had told her as much in the diner's back room. "It's pretty girls too."

Ruby stood with her mouth open. "You – are being – ridiculous." She backed out of the room but then froze in the corridor.

Granny came out, rolled her eyes, and went through to the diner.

It was Belle's first time seeing Ruby wear anything like the diner's waitressing uniform. She had been leaving the washroom when they crossed paths and her mind went blank from her appearance. The figure Ruby cut was inspiring in the crisp white button shirt, crimson skirt, long bare legs… "You, uh… wear the uniform well."

Ruby self-consciously swayed on the spot and simpered. "Better than during the curse, anyway."

Belle banished an endeavor to imagine how that might have looked. "And you – you changed your hair."

"Yeah." She shrugged. "Change is good, right?"

"Some change is, yes."

Awkward silence reigned, and at length Ruby averted her eyes when they fell to the one too many undone buttons of Belle's dark green shirt. "Is there something you need?"

Belle remembered herself and stammered. "Did you really not know what the lunch you brought me yesterday was?"

Ruby's perplexed expression told her enough. "I didn't. Why?" Her shoulders suddenly tensed. "Did Granny put something weird in it?"

"No, it – it's fine, really."

"Belle, what –"

"Big news everybody!" Leroy bellowed as he entered the diner. "Emma _found_ Regina. She was holed up in her office working on a potion."

Archie got up from his seat at the counter and queried, "What kind of potion?"

"Was she gonna hurt us?" Tom Clark quavered.

"A memory potion," answered Leroy. "Regina says that she's gonna use it to prove she didn't cast the curse."

"Like I'd drink anything _she_ handed me," Granny griped.

"Well somebody will!" Leroy declared. "And if they remember, we'll know exactly who did this to us."

The diner filled with demanding chatter and Ruby excused herself to find Snow and ask if she knew what Emma and Regina were up to.

Belle stood by the entryway and watched her go.

Neither of them saw the lone woman in the booth hurrying out of the diner's front door.

* * *

A/N: If any of you are at San Diego Comic-Con I am jealous, but will not be turning green.

The TV adaptation of "High Noon" stars Emilie de Ravin as the protagonist.


	2. The Tower

A/N: Chapter titles from here on are a guide for which episode the chapter takes place during more than being related to the content of the chapter.

Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time" is property of Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, ABC, etc.

* * *

The Tower

Belle hadn't tried speaking with Ruby again after last night. Neither had she stayed for a meal, but returned to her place in the library and practiced a recipe from the cookbook she had recently purchased. She wanted to talk with Ruby, about so many things, but found it difficult to do so without an underlying guilt lapping at her conscious. It steered her to the pawn shop the next morning, where she searched for a ledger that might help inform what inventory remained of Rumpelstiltskin's empire.

She found it in the back room and was reading from it when she came to the front and discovered a woman peering through the glass countertop.

"Uh…" Belle put the book down on the counter. "Can I, uh… Can I help you?"

"Well you must be Mrs. Gold," the woman responded.

Belle faltered at the assumption. It hadn't occurred to her how much of a possibility that could have been for her. "No, I'm, um… not."

The woman kept an attentive eye on Belle when she next spoke. "Is Mr. Gold around?"

"Uh, no, he isn't. He…" Belle cleared her throat of a swelling despondency. "He died." It was her first time saying it out loud and her voice warbled from the effort to sound even.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss…" She paused.

"Uh – Belle." The condolence from a stranger made her uncomfortable and Belle started fiddling with the nearby jar of hairpins and scissors.

"Belle. That's such a pretty name." She placed a kindly hand over Belle's, slipping her fingers into her palm. "Look, I'm… I'm so sorry to bother you but I was hoping to buy a baby gift for a lovely woman I met at Granny's Diner. Maybe you know her. She goes by Mary Margaret here. See, I'm helping her with her pregnancy and today's my first day on the job, you know. Curse or no curse a girl's got to work."

The subject of Snow's pregnancy was a fine counterbalance to the preceding topic. "Mary Margaret. Well why didn't you say so? I _think_ I may have just the thing."

"Bless you."

Belle asked to give her a second to retrieve the item in mind and the remainder of the woman's patronage proceeded without further incident, at least to Belle's knowledge. The particular paralysis spell the woman had placed on her allowed no awareness of her state, and furthermore prevented Belle from knowing that the Wicked Witch had opened Rumpelstiltskin's safe and taken a clove of night root along with a vial of blood.

_**- Flashback -**_

"You've gathered the entire kingdom for _this?_" Regina threw a hand out toward Snow and David. "There's a wicked witch out there just waiting to pounce. And pretending otherwise would be dangerous."

"There's nothing dangerous about rallying our people," David countered.

"You're announcing you're pregnant. It's not like you invented the wheel!"

Ruby nearly laughed. Regina never held back on a chance to dispute with someone if she thought they were wrong, and she always did so with a touch of sass; particularly with anyone she was remotely close to.

Aurora and Phillip were present as well to give their support for the couple, though now they were exchanging uneasy glances.

Down the hall there was an echo of resolute footfalls hurrying toward them, but more than that, what drew Ruby's attention was the familiar scent in the air.

"Red?" Snow said when Ruby whipped round to the entryway. "What is it?"

A hooded figure appeared and Ruby dashed forward, catching the stranger in her arms (who gave a little shriek) and spinning in a perfect circle.

Snow didn't need to ask who this was, and as soon as Ruby had put their visitor back on the ground the hood was flipped away to reveal her face. "Belle!"

"Are you okay?" asked David. "Where's Neal?"

Belle sorted her jumbled emotions, giddy from Ruby's enthusiastic embrace but still carrying the weight of her somber news. "We… we went off to see if we could revive the Dark One."

"What happened?" Regina could already guess something had gone awry.

"Neal was able to resurrect him," Belle answered, "but at the cost of his own life."

Half to herself, Regina said, "Rumple's alive," grinning shrewdly.

Snow was focused on the other side of the equation. "Neal's dead?"

"I _think_ so."

Regina looked sidelong at Belle. "To which?"

"Both." Belle still didn't fully understand what had happened herself. "You see when Rumple saw that Neal was dying he –," she gestured inward, "– absorbed him. And uh, Zelena got ahold of the dagger. And now she controls Rumple."

Everything was going from bad to worse in the span of a few minutes.

Aurora came forward to offer her own opinion. "Maybe now isn't the time to announce the pregnancy. Regina is right, it's too dangerous."

"No, if – if we don't we give in to fear but if we _do_ we give the kingdom what they need." Snow looked to her husband for solidarity. "Hope."

"We don't even know what this Wicked Witch wants," David added.

Aurora closed her eyes, and then opened them. "Actually we do. She wants your baby."

Phillip moved to stand beside Aurora. "She came to us when you were gone. Threatened us and our unborn child unless we told her when you arrived in our land."

"She thinks your baby could be – important?" Aurora shook her head. "I'm so sorry, she said she'd hurt us."

The air from the balcony gusted, alerting them to danger. David and Snow whirled around and the wind kicked up their cloaks, dresses, and capes as Zelena flew in on her broom.

She landed smoothly on the stone floor and smirked. "And I make good on my promises." With a twirl of her gloved hand she stirred up a green smoke which puffed over Phillip and Aurora, turning them into flying monkeys. The simian pair chirped at one another and then flew through the way Zelena had arrived, leaving the others to helplessly watch them go.

"What do you want with our baby?" Snow demanded.

"Calm down, sweetie. You don't want to go into early labour." Zelena waved her hand in one quick motion and froze Snow in place.

"Stay away from my wife!" David unsheathed his sword but Zelena cast the spell again and he stood still with his weapon held out.

"Ooh. Someone's testy."

Regina huffed and ruffled her dress. "Enough, Sis. This is between you and me." She approached Zelena with her hand up in a gesture to choke and Zelena flicked her own hand to place Regina in the same immobile state as Snow and David.

In the second it took for Zelena to enact the spell Ruby sprinted forth, her supernatural speed allowing her to get her hand on Zelena's throat when Regina's magic could not.

Zelena's eyes widened in alarm for an instant, one hand clutching the sizable jewel of her necklace while the other conjured.

Belle heard Ruby grunt, saw her bend forward, and then staggered as Ruby was blown back through the air straight for her.

They collided and Belle fell back on the floor, pain shooting up her arms and tailbone. Ruby lay against her but didn't move and soon Belle saw why. Blood was leaching from the side of her lower abdomen, trickling over Ruby's fingers where her hand tried to stanch the wound. Belle hastily added her own pressure, panic overtaking caution.

Zelena was holding a small knife of silver and regarding Ruby with a sour look. She flicked her wrist, the blade disappeared, and the witch turned her attention to Snow. "Now, let's see if this was all worth it." Her hands came to rest over Snow's stomach. "Oh, yes. Yes, it was. This child shall do quite nicely." She grinned wickedly at Snow. "So take good care of it for me. Don't forget to eat well. I will be back for your _happy_ day. And what's yours… will be mine." Zelena looked past Snow to where Belle sat with Ruby. This woman who was glaring at her with eyes like her own was the woman Rumpelstiltskin was in love with. "I'll get to you, my pretty." Her gaze fell to Ruby. "And your little dog too."

The paralyzing spell lifted and Zelena took off the way she had come in, soaring on her broom while chuckling low and exultantly in her throat.

David was soon at Snow's side to comfort her, but the princess had to shake off her unease long enough to focus on a more immediate problem. "Red!"

Regina was already swooping down to aid her. "Calm down, I've got this." She reached for the wound but Ruby shrunk away and Regina scowled. "Do you _want_ to bleed out all over the floor?"

Ruby scowled back at her though the suffering clouding her focus. "Did you kill Graham?"

The frown on Regina's face warped.

"Red…" Snow's voice was soft and Belle understood it to mean Snow knew what more lay beneath Ruby's question.

Ruby's expression hardened. "Did you kill the Huntsman?"

Regina had to build herself up to answer. "Yes." Her voice wasn't as even as she would have liked. "I didn't want to, but I did. And I'm sorry for it."

Ruby continued to grimace but her eyes also began to water. She removed her hand from the injury along with Belle's hand, but caught Belle's fingers and gently squeezed.

Belle bent her head over Ruby's and pressed her free hand against her arm. _I'm not going anywhere._

**_-_ Granny's Diner -**

Whale plunked into a counter seat. "No uniform today?"

Ruby was dressed in plain clothes, as plain as her character would allow. The sleeves of her cerise shirt were pushed up her arms and paired with simple dark jeans. "I'm going to town hall to help Emma track the Wicked Witch."

"The _Wicked Witch_," he incredulously repeated with a smattering of derision.

"Said Doctor Frankenstein."

"Point taken." Whale indicated the plaster wrapped around the tip of Ruby's right index finger. "Do you want me to look at that?"

"It'll heal soon. I cut myself this morning opening a can of peaches."

"For the pie?"

"Yeah."

"I'll have some peach pie, please."

Her withering look didn't faze him. She crouched behind the counter to pick up a plate and checked the time on the wall clock. Ashley was supposed to be coming in to cover her shift but had yet to arrive – because she was out on the street, screaming, and Ruby rushed outside with Whale following close behind.

Ashley was rooted to the spot, petrified as she watched Drew tower over Sean. Her husband was on his back on the road, peering up at the vampire with his mouth agape. Leroy was there trying to intervene, pushing Drew away, but Drew pushed back harder, shoving Leroy with such force that he was airborne and then landed on his side on the sidewalk.

"Drew! What is wrong with you?" Ruby took him by the arm, spun him around, and his face took her aback.

His eyes were bright red, as he had once demonstrated, but held a wildness that had been absent at the Rabbit Hole and his incisors were threatening. He snarled and his nostrils flared, glimpsing the plaster on Ruby's finger. Then he sprung.

Ruby threw an arm up to defend herself but his fangs sunk into her exposed forearm. She cried out from the piercing bite and fell back on the pavement, Drew's knee digging painfully into her ribcage. His hand was holding down her other arm, the silver ring searing red lines into her skin. Ruby tried to push him off but he bit deeper, blood seeping and dripping from her flesh as he drank. Then, her resistance waned. He was feeding from her the way she had fed off others, before she had learned to control the wolf. _Poetic justice._

_THWACK!_

Drew disappeared from her field of vision, his fangs leaving with a repellent squelching sound. Belle stood above Ruby, gasping, arms poised in the air. In her hands was a wooden sword, the kind David had bought for Henry to play with. Behind Belle, across the street, Marco stood with his hands on August's shoulders and keeping distance from the horrifying scene.

Whale bent down next to Ruby and examined her mauled arm. "This is going to need stitches."

Ruby grimaced as she sat up, and saw Drew knocked out cold on the pavement. "Drew…"

"Hey, worry about yourself," Whale snapped. "This vampire was just feeding off of you."

"_Why_ was he?" Belle's tone was the most severe Ruby had ever heard her. "Isn't the hospital supplying him with blood?"

"We are!" Whale protested. "He comes in every week to get it – he should have enough."

"So why is he like this?" Belle gestured at Drew's unconscious form.

"Don't ask me, ask _him_," countered Whale.

There was no telling what kind of mood Drew would be in once he woke. "Sean, Leroy, could you take Drew to the station and put him in one of the cells?" Ruby requested. "The keys are in the sheriff desk drawer."

"Uhhh, you want us to take a vampire to the sheriff station?" Leroy gaped at her like the blood loss had affected her ability to think. "What if he wakes up and decides he wants a snack on the way?"

"Hit him with this." Belle held out the wooden sword to Sean and glanced back at August. "Do you mind?"

Pinocchio vigorously shook his head.

**- Storybrooke General Hospital -**

"You don't have to be in here."

Whale was halfway through stitching the bite in Ruby's arm, and during that time Ruby has seen Belle's features contort into a variety of disconcerted expressions.

It wasn't a dismissal, but Belle gathered her resolve and firmed her clasped hands. "I want to be here."

It was her choice, that was important, and this fact heartened Ruby. She watched Whale thread the stitches through her wound. Besides cleaning and numbing the area for the stitches, there wasn't much else Whale could do about the infliction Drew left. "I hope this doesn't mean I'm going to become a werepire." She was half-joking but Belle supplied her with an answer.

"You won't. To turn you have to die with vampire blood in your system to begin the process."

Ruby stared at her, surprised that she already had knowledge on the subject. "You really do know a lot."

Belle shook her head and shrugged. "I read."

"About vampires?" There was a trace of jesting in her voice along with her telling grin.

"I didn't get it from _Twilight_, if that's what you're implying."

Ruby's smile grew, pleased with the ease of their exchange and that Belle had understood her. It pleased Belle too, but the flutter in her stomach made her nervous.

There was a pucker in Whale's brow as he tried to concentrate on his handiwork while being present for, what was to him, clear flirtation. He tied off the final stitch and was preparing to handle mending the burns on Ruby's other arm when a nurse came in and informed Whale his presence was needed elsewhere.

"I'm with a patient. Can't it wait?"

The nurse looked at Ruby and then back to the doctor. "No."

Whale grudgingly peeled the gloves from his hands and said he would return.

Ruby wasn't waiting. As soon as he left she pushed off from the examination table and headed for the door.

Belle intercepted her. "Wh… Where are you going?"

"To see Drew."

"Doctor Whale hasn't finished with your injuries."

Ruby lifted her unattended arm. "This is nothing. Remember?"

The necessary recall was of Lacey's time spent with Ruby, in the woods, and at the sheriff station. Heat crept up Belle's neck. "Stay."

The command surprised Ruby and Belle's expression of imperious beseeching chipped at her resolve. She relented and returned to her seat. "Gee, I wonder how many of Lacey's other habits you're going to pick up."

Belle considered this and then said, "Pickpocketing won't be one of them."

Ruby chuckled and then winced, raising a hand to a concealed injury.

"What's wrong?" Belle impulsively stepped toward her.

"My ribs are a little sore…"

"Does it hurt?"

"Only when I breathe."

She might have been saying it as a joke but concern thrust Belle into a clinical mindset. "Let me see." Belle grabbed the hem of Ruby's shirt and yanked it up without waiting for permission.

"Belle!" Ruby floundered and a shooting ache in her side thwarted her efforts to reclaim decency.

Belle's eyes hadn't made it up far enough to see the bruising which caused Ruby's twinge. She was looking at the white marks in Ruby's skin – scars which she hadn't known were there. "How did you get these?"

Ruby gave up on trying to salvage any propriety between them. "The larger higher one is from one of Regina's Black Knights. The other, I don't know. I must have gotten it during the year we can't remember."

"That's… unsettling."

Ruby turned away with a far-off look. "It's just another scar."

The marks on her skin weren't all. Belle knew all too well how much of an impression what happened with Peter left on Ruby, but she didn't know how many others there might have been; the number of deaths Ruby had unwillingly caused. Then she remembered when the nurse had come in, and the unkind way she had regarded Ruby. There were still people who loathed and feared her.

Her hand touched Ruby's skin. She sensed her flinch but made no verbal objection. The tips of her fingers ran along the scar low on Ruby's abdomen. _Who would do this to you?_ Ruby's skin was smooth and warm, and suddenly it dawned on Belle that this wasn't her first acquaintance with her hand here on Ruby. Her face burned and her heart hammered in her chest but she didn't move. She didn't _want_ to move – and then Ruby inclined her head until their foreheads met. Belle still didn't move away but her breath hitched and her hands trembled. She pulled on Ruby's shirt and upturned her face, but then Ruby jerked away and Belle was stunned by the distress which crashed upon her. Ruby was looking at the door however, and Belle registered what was happening. She let go of Ruby and backed up a few steps before Snow came through the door.

"Oh – Belle! Granny didn't mention you'd be here."

"Uhh, I was just… going." Belle relied on the old tired-and-true excuse of so many caught in this situation. She gathered her coat and said some words of parting without expecting a reply as she bustled out the room.

Snow had a corresponding response for the scenario and asked it of Ruby. "Was I interrupting something?"

Her arm wasn't the only place where Ruby felt numb. "Honestly? … I'm not sure."

**- Sheriff Station -**

Drew resembled a rabid caged animal more than a person in lockup.

"About time," Leroy complained and jutted a thumb back at Drew. "In this case I don't appreciate being looked at like a piece of meat."

Snow had tagged along with Ruby to see Drew at the station. On the way Ruby explained her acquaintance with the man most famously known as Dracula, and despite his vampirism it wasn't in his character to be attacking civilians, especially in broad daylight.

Leroy left to return to patrolling and Ruby cautiously advanced toward the cells. Drew sat hunched over on the bed, glowering at the floor, his face still stained with blood though it looked like he had tried wiping it off with his sleeve.

Ruby's hand went to her arm, the one burned by silver and now wrapped in a bandage. She had never been the victim of a savage attack before. She was always the one doing the savaging. "What happened to you?"

His hands clenched into fists and his temples pulsed. "Blood," he said tightly. "It's the blood."

"What blood?"

"It's the blood!" He turned and his eyes became red, his fangs flashing white and sharp.

Snow grabbed Ruby by her upper arm. "Red, maybe you should wait. He might be better suited for questioning in the morning."

Drew had curled away to the far end of the bed. There had been times when Ruby wanted to do the same. "Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna stay and make sure he doesn't try to break out."

"You'll be okay?" Snow glimpsed the cell bars, wondering if it was strong enough to contain a vampire.

"I know what to expect now."

Snow gave her a long look and then nodded. "Be careful. I'll bring you something from the diner later. Any requests?"

Ruby made a show of thinking and then said, "Lasagna."

"… Someday one of you will tell me what the story is behind the lasagna."

Snow put the sheriff station behind her and Ruby fell into the nearest chair. The commotion with Drew had evicted the plan to help track the Wicked Witch from her mind, but after Granny had phoned Snow to tell her what had happened, Snow in turn phoned Emma and gave her the news.

Ruby reeled away from the desk where she was seated. It was the same desk where she had sat with Henry when she was attempting to find a new line of work, but it was also the desk where she had shared a fervent moment with Lacey – but Lacey wasn't here. She was with Belle. She was Belle, the Belle who in the hospital had abandoned any sense of modesty and exposed her; caressed her. They were close enough that Ruby could discern the trace of Gold's shop on Belle, but also how the colour in her cheeks deepened and the beat of her heart escalated. The chains over Ruby's heart strained with each stroke of Belle's fingers, threatening to pull her apart. She had to slacken the tension, so Ruby permitted herself a small indulgence and rested her head against Belle's. The change in Belle's breathing had astonished her, and then the sweet aroma of lipbalm had grown stronger.

She didn't know what would have happened next if Snow hadn't arrived – but Ruby knew what she would have liked to have happened. Yet it was too soon to be entertaining such fantasies. That was all it was, a fantasy, and the station phone rang to rouse her.

There wasn't much to do at the sheriff station, so Ruby passed time taking the non-essential calls while checking on Drew. He wouldn't speak and only moved to settle into a new sullen position.

When Snow came to deliver her meal David accompanied her, and both were wearing matching expressions of concern.

"Gold is alive," Snow told her.

Ruby didn't immediately reply. She was too preoccupied thinking about what this news meant.

It meant nothing would change.

* * *

A/N: The flashback I brought forward is from the episode "A Curious Thing."


	3. Quiet Minds

A/N: Reference made to the "Shadow of the Queen" graphic novel this chapter.

Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time" is property of Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, ABC, etc.

* * *

Quiet Minds

It had been a long time since Ruby had a nightmare about the wolf, about killing, about having no control over her actions. She was running wild, necks snapping between jaws that ravaged its prey, the flavor of iron on her tongue. It needed to stop. She wanted it to stop, and the instant she wished for it she was immobile. A crocodile slithered toward her, and a sharp pinch jabbed her arm.

Ruby's limbs sprung out from the wool blanket and she shut her eyes against the morning sun. That had been an unusual end to her nightmare. What was a crocodile doing in a forest? Then again, nightmares needn't make sense, or dreams for that matter. She sat up and cast her eyes about the room. The quietness of the sheriff station felt off. There was supposed to be someone else here. Ruby tossed the blanket aside and went straight for the cells.

Drew was sitting against the wall on the bed, cross-legged and his complexion paler than usual.

"Feeling less bloodthirsty this morning?" Ruby paused. "Sorry, poor choice of words. Or… too accurate a choice of words."

"I'm hungry," he grunted in a hoarse voice.

"Then you shouldn't have skipped your meal yesterday."

He closed his eyes tightly as though fighting against a headache. "My meal was the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"There was something off with the taste of the blood I had yesterday. I didn't know what it was until you confronted me, and I smelled your blood." He opened his eyes and his features were hard as stone. "Your blood was in the pack from the hospital."

_**- Flashback -**_

The library in the castle wasn't as expansive as Rumpelstiltskin's, but Regina was not short on books pertaining to magic. Belle was applying herself to the task of scouring thorough the tomes, searching for something that might defeat Zelena.

"Can I help?" Ruby stood leaning against the doorjamb, hesitant about entering the room while also looking a bit lonely.

Belle placed a hand over a pile of books to her left on the long mahogany table. "I haven't gone through these yet."

Ruby shuffled to the table and picked up the topmost book. She stared blankly at an open page and then said, "Remember when I told you that there was almost someone after Peter?"

She had anticipated this and tried not to sound overtly curious. "Yes."

"It was Graham. He was the sheriff before Emma in Storybrooke but here he was known as the Huntsman." Ruby fell into the seat beside Belle and laid the book on the table. "He sacrificed himself to help me protect Snow from Regina. It's strange. During our cursed time in Storybrooke I often saw him but we weren't able to have the conversations we did here. I don't know if we would have just been friends or more, but… I wish he had lived long enough so we could meet again."

Belle felt familiar waves of sympathy for Ruby and was concerned this was to be a pattern whenever a time from Ruby's past came up. She searched for what to say to her, some words of comfort or assurance, but then she thought maybe that wasn't what Ruby needed. Ruby surely would have already received that type of kindness from Snow. What more could Belle offer?

"Regina abducted and locked me away in solitude for nearly thirty years."

Ruby's eyes were round with shock. Belle didn't know how Ruby would have reacted once she had finally told her where she had been – so Ruby's visceral response took her by surprise.

"She did _what?_" Ruby leapt up so suddenly the chair she had vacated nearly tipped over.

"Ru–"

"_Where_ is she?" Ruby spun around and was headed for the door.

Belle jumped from her seat. "Ruby, stop!"

She stopped short and slowly turned to Belle, to Belle who would never want revenge. Ruby wasn't planning on revenge per se, but now wasn't the time to be provoking Regina over the issue. This was a time for Belle. "So why I never saw you in Storybrooke and why you didn't know what pancakes were…"

Belle ducked her head, recalling her dreadful isolation. "In Storybrooke I was in the basement of the hospital. An asylum."

Emotions of dismay, pity, and shame chased after one another. All that time Belle had been in Storybrooke, in the hospital, alone, her freedom taken from her. Ruby's voice was quiet. "And I chained you to the library."

Belle walked toward her and took Ruby's hand. At the time Belle had been stung by the evocation of her powerlessness in the cold dark chambers, but more than that was fear for Ruby's life running through her veins. "You weren't to know. But I'm here now. I'm free."

Ruby lowered her gaze. "Except for the time I shackled you…" She had already apologized for what she had done to Belle and been forgiven, but in light of Belle's revelation the deed now carried a greater indignity.

A fanciful thought came to Belle. "If it bothers you that much, you can make it up to me."

"How?" Ruby appeared nothing short of an eager to please pup.

Belle moved a bit closer and smiled. "I'll think of something."

**- Present -**

Throughout dinner with her father Belle had to make the effort to not appear troubled and threw herself into conversation whenever possible to relieve her anxiety. Sitting across from her father however, Belle could not help contemplating what Maurice might think of what she was feeling. He had outright disapproved of her romantic ties with Rumpelstiltskin. What would he say about her caring for a woman – a _werewolf_?

She felt unwell and spent the night at her father's. In the early morning Belle stopped by her apartment in the library before making the trek to the pawn shop. The book she had read on vampires belonged to Rumpelstiltskin and she had returned it where she found it after reading a few chapters. Now she needed the book again, but before she had a chance to pick it up Emma came though the shop, along with Snow, David, and Hook.

Emma handed Belle a strand of gold, the kind she had witnessed Rumpelstiltskin spin many times. Her stomach lurched and Belle had to sit down.

"So… so Rumple's alive? I mean… how is that even possible?"

"We were hoping you might be able to tell us that." Emma sat nearby with Snow beside her. "You know him and this shop better than anyone. If he's in Storybrooke there has to be a clue in here about how he got back or how we can find him now that he is."

"Yeah, I'll um… I'll start looking right away."

"Keep your eyes out for him too," added David. "If he comes into town he'll –"

"He'll come to me." A slight pain in her heart accompanied Belle's words. "Yeah, I know."

Snow regarded Belle a little uneasily while Emma's sympathy lifted to wordlessly prompt Hook.

The pirate was reluctant about his assigned role and didn't look at Belle when he said, "I will stay here with you." When Belle turned he met her gaze and dropped his hand on the table. "I'm surprisingly good at research."

"_You_ will stay with _me_?" Belle could see a degree of the skepticism she was feeling about this arrangement in his face too.

"He'll protect you if the witch comes," explained Emma.

"You do know he tried to kill me."

"Well, there were… extenuating circumstances," Hook offered as an excuse.

It was a disgraceful one. "Twice."

Hook smacked his mouth. "Sorry?"

The word sounded terribly insincere and Emma pulled a face. "You really know how to charm a girl, don't you?"

"This…" Hook waved his hand in the air, "will be my way of making it up to you. Hm?"

Belle's temper threatened to flare and she shook her head. "Why can't –" She cut herself off. In her peripheral vision she noticed Snow's concern and took a second to change her response. "Fine."

Emma shifted back. "Alright, we should really get out into the woods."

David addressed Snow. "Hey, maybe you should stay home."

"Me?" Snow cast a glance at Belle, who at the moment had her back to her, and lowered her voice. "I'm the best tracker _here_."

"I know, but, we'll manage." David nodded to point out Snow's condition. "Remember what Zelena said, you need your rest."

Snow looked to Emma for her opinion, which turned out to be agreeing with David.

Emma cleared her throat and stood. "Belle. Thank you for your help. Don't worry, we're gonna find him."

"'Kay. Thank you." She appreciated Emma's reassurance, but finding Rumpelstiltskin wasn't the only matter worrying Belle.

Soon it was only Belle and Hook in the pawn shop belonging to the man to whom they had completely different connections. Belle started browsing for any books that might be helpful in explaining Rumpelstiltskin's reappearance while Hook arranged some boxes in front of the door. When he returned to the back room Hook silently watched her, which was annoying, but she ignored him until she could not.

"I am sorry." His voice broke through the prickly atmosphere. "I shouldn't have targeted you in my vendetta against the Dark One."

He sounded surprisingly honest, much more than he had been earlier, and his face was entirely serious. She wondered why he hadn't acted so before when the others were here. Perhaps that was it. He didn't want to appear humble in front of them, but if he wanted to be in that family's good books he should have done it when they were present. Was he embarrassed? What a funny notion. "But you still would have tried to kill him."

Hook still had his reason for wanting Rumpelstiltskin dead, but he wasn't interested in revisiting the issue with Belle. "Recently my appetite for revenge has waned in favour of something more fulfilling."

Belle had already determined what he was speaking of. "Yet the question is whether you'll be allowed a seat at the table."

Her observation perturbed him, but then he turned it around. "And you're still smitten with the Dark One?"

The fact that he was questioning this caught her off guard. "That's really none of your business."

"But then you've given me an answer."

Belle could have dropped a book on his smug head. Missing year aside, it was not long ago when Belle would have forthrightly spoken of her love for Rumpelstiltskin. Over time however things had changed. She had changed, he had changed… or maybe the problem was that he hadn't changed enough. She climbed the stepladder and thrust a tome in Hook's direction. He shambled forward to receive the book and then she picked out another from the top of the shelving.

"Uhh, watch the cover on that one."

"Dealing with a _hook_, here," he responded, but did his best not to press his appendage into the cover.

The front door clattered.

"It's him." Belle descended the stepladder. "It's Rumple." She rushed to the front room and watched as the door was gradually rammed open, the body rattling the panes and grunting with the effort. Hook joined Belle, cutlass in hand in case it wasn't who she thought it was – and it wasn't. The man on the other side of the door tumbled through and collapsed on the floor. Belle hurried forward and knelt beside him. "Neal! Neal!"

**- Granny's Diner -**

Granny was handing off coffee, hot cocoa and a sesame bagel to Emma when Ruby came through the diner.

"Hey, Ruby. I heard about the stuff with _Dracula_?" Emma doubted there would be a day when she got used to the real presence of characters from literature.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry I couldn't help yesterday."

"Hey, no – what you were doing was important too. But if you're free now you can help me and David track Gold."

"Sorry, there are… still some loose ends that need tying."

"Oh, okay. Good luck." Emma waved her off and carried Henry's breakfast through the back of the diner.

Granny glanced up from her notepad. "So is your new friend done terrorizing my staff?"

Ruby edged closer to her grandmother, making sure no one could overhear. "He said the blood he drank yesterday had my blood in it."

Granny stopped writing. "_Your_ blood?"

"Yeah. I don't remember donating any blood, do you?" She watched the tension in Granny's face become affected by some foreboding thought.

"Come with me."

**- Storybrooke General Hospital -**

Belle stayed behind at the hospital while Emma and David headed out to the forest. Hook was on watch duty to ensure Neal stayed in bed, but there was other business Belle had at the hospital.

"Doctor Whale." She caught him in the corridor on his way to drop-off some paperwork at the front desk.

"Is this about Neal?"

"It's about Drew. Have you looked into what caused his behaviour yesterday?"

"Nope." He scribbled a signature on a clipboard and handed it off to a nurse. "As I understand it, Ruby's taken charge of that investigation."

She had forgotten that Ruby almost left the hospital to see Drew. It had been buried underneath other concerns which kept cropping into her life. "Oh, right…"

Whale gave her a look and crossed his arms. "I hear Gold has made a miraculous recovery. I'd certainly like to know how he was able to come back from the dead."

Emma had already sent Belle a picture of the mysterious symbol branded into Neal's right palm. If it had anything to do with Rumpelstiltskin being alive, she would find out.

**- Sheriff Station -**

Drew sniffed the air while Ruby held out the pack of blood she had retrieved from his home. "It's clean." She passed it to him through the bars and he thanked her.

"Anything to keep Dracula sane." She pulled up a chair to sit on and placed the cooler she had brought the blood in beside it. This had to be her oddest food delivery.

He took a long sip of the fluid and sat back on the bed, sighing, his thirst quenched. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

"It wasn't worse than anything I've done in the past."

Drew brought the blood to his lips again and paused. "Have you ever turned someone?"

Ruby cringed at the thought of cursing someone with the affliction which had caused her so much anguish. "No. My bites never gave that a chance."

Drew nodded his understanding at the lengths she went through to avoid such a situation. "I've turned many in my time. But the one time when it counted, I couldn't do it." He leaned his elbows on his knees and hung his head. "This is going to sound like a line, but… she looked just like you."

Ruby shifted in her seat but didn't say anything.

"Her name was Sherry. She never knew what I was, but she loved me and I her. I had often thought about telling her I was a vampire. If we were to be together as long as we wished, she would have to know eventually. But before I had the chance she became extremely ill. Turning her would save her, but I couldn't bring her into that existence without her consent… and she couldn't give it. Fever made her delirious. I had to let her go in my arms."

"… I'm sorry." They had both lost ones they loved.

He straightened, back against the wall of his cell. "When I first saw you I thought fate might have blessed me with another chance." He smiled, but it was tired and resigned. "But you're not her, and you love another."

Ruby felt her own forlorn impressions seeping into her bones. "_She_ loves another."

**- Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer -**

Belle grabbed her cellphone and punched in Emma's number.

"Belle. What'd you find?"

She paced herself, controlling trepidation which had fluxed once she had found what she was looking for. "The symbol on Neal's hand… it's from an ancient talisman; a key that opens the vault of the Dark One. I think he may have used it, to resurrect Rumple back when we were in the Enchanted Forest."

"Wait, so, he brought Gold back?"

"That's where it gets unclear." Belle ran her finger down the book as she read the passage to Emma. "The vault will only restore the Dark One in exchange for another life."

"Whoa, whoa, hang on a minute – _what?_"

"It's a one for one trade. If Neal used that key… he should be dead right now." There was a pause at the other end of the line, and then a shout of agony.

"Neal!" Emma cried into the phone. "Neal!" Her voice sounded distant, like she had dropped the phone.

"Emma?" Cold panic spiked up Belle's spine. "Emma!"

Brisk steps approached from the front of the shop and then Ruby came through the doorway. "Hey – Has something happened?"

Her unexpected presence startled Belle and she pulled the phone from her face. "Um… yes." She glanced at the screen which informed her that the call hadn't been disconnected, but the conversation with Emma wouldn't continue. "I-I think so. Emma's… handling it." Belle snapped the cellphone shut and swallowed her fear.

"Belle." Ruby had moved close to her and was leaning her hand on the table, watching her with gentle concern.

The fear burst. "I think… I think Neal is dying." She gave Ruby a rundown of what her day had been like, and by the end she was so worked up she didn't resist when Ruby put her arms around her.

"So Neal did it to bring Gold back. Why?" Ruby hoped it didn't sound like she was inferring Neal should have left his father's memory to rest.

"Hook said Neal missed his family. He hoped that if anyone could reunite him with them it would be his father. Neal must not have known what the price for bringing him back would be."

Magic always came at a price and Neal had paid the ultimate cost. "But Gold is alive. That's something." Ruby was aware she was primarily saying this for Belle's benefit, but if it helped her deal with Neal's loss, her own feelings didn't matter. "If Emma and David can't find him by tonight I'll help them, but there's something I need first."

Belle's brow furrowed. "What's that?"

"You mentioned reading about vampires. Do you still have the book you read from?"

"Oh – Yes. It's over here." Belle got up and went to get the book she had meant to read in the morning. It was on a high shelf and she had forgotten the stepladder, but Ruby reached up behind her. Belle held her breath as Ruby brushed against her back and pulled the book down. "Did… ahm, you learn anything?"

"Possibly." There was no 'possibly' about it. Granny had disclosed to her the price that had been paid for the enchanted red hood – and from whom she had obtained it from. Ruby had never bothered to question the origin of her red hood, but now that she knew she wished Granny had been honest with her earlier – about _everything_. "Can I borrow this? I'll bring it back when I'm done."

"Yes – of course."

"Thanks."

Before Ruby could take a step Belle grabbed the sleeve of her jacket. "Ruby, you _would_ tell me if something was wrong?"

Ruby clamped her teeth together. Those blue eyes would be the end of her. She didn't want to lie to Belle, but sharing what her grandmother had told her didn't feel right either. Not to Belle. Not now. "Everything's the same as it's always been."

Belle's apprehension flourished like a weed. Ruby's cryptic answer was delivered with the same expression she had worn when she told her what the nurses had said about the tranquilizers giving her nightmares.

* * *

A/N: Crazy how Meghan Ory had an appendectomy like what her character in "Vampire High" needed.


	4. It's Not Easy Being Green

A/N: This took longer to write than I would have liked. Oops.

Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time" is property of Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, ABC, etc.

* * *

It's Not Easy Being Green

The woman who had paid the pawn shop a visit, looking for a gift for Snow was not a mere midwife – she was the Wicked Witch. Rumpelstiltskin had revealed Zelena's true identity after Emma had used her magic to split Neal from his father. Soon afterward Neal's life gave out, as he paid the price for returning Rumpelstiltskin's own life.

Everyone who knew Neal was in attendance at his funeral – friends, family, and a few Lost Boys. Henry was appropriately as somber as the rest, but oblivious to the extent of his loss.

Emma's grief had skipped denial and gone to anger as she whipped dart after dart in the diner. Hook was on a path toward her when Ruby stepped in.

"You're not going to try what I think you're going to, are you?"

"Give me some credit, love. I care about Neal too, not as she did, but cared all the same. And now she's hurt because he's gone. What I wish is to set my feelings aside in the name of her welfare. Wouldn't you do the same?" He posed the question as he glanced to the side, where Belle sat by herself at a table.

There had been a point in her life when Belle had said she was on her own, but she'd never seemed like it more than she did at this moment. Until recently Belle had believed Rumpelstiltskin to be dead, but now he was back yet under Zelena's control because Neal had given his life in exchange for his father's. Belle hadn't officially gained the title of stepmother, but Neal was son of one she loved and that connection had given them a measure of closeness.

Ruby filled the seat opposite Belle and offered her sympathies. Belle pursed her lips in a gesture that said it couldn't be helped. Neal's fate had already been decided during their year in the Enchanted Forest. Ruby considered what to do next, and it was to bolt up from her seat when the diner door swung open and Zelena strode through.

"My condolences. So sorry I missed the funeral, but I could never pass up a wake. Oh, did I miss the speeches? Shall I make one?" Zelena grinned as she strolled through the diner, brandishing the Dark One's dagger. "I mean, I am after all responsible."

From the corner of her eye Ruby saw Emma lurch forward, only to have Snow hold her back. "Emma, no. Too many people will get hurt."

"Listen to your mother," Zelena lightly advised. "She's right. Anyone who tries to interfere with my plan is going to have to deal with the Dark One." Her eyes rested on Belle, searching for a reaction from Rumpelstiltskin's beloved, and Ruby impulsively sidestepped in front of her. "Oh, how sweet – the guard dog protecting its master." Zelena gestured with her chin. "How are the arms by the way?"

The words took a moment to sink in. "_You?_"

"Ruby." Belle swiftly cautioned her when she noticed Ruby start to move forward.

"That's right, my pretty." Zelena's eyes were on Belle again, and then shifted back to Ruby. "Keep a tight leash on your _pet_."

Ruby was vaguely aware that Zelena was simultaneously insulting and outing her in front of everyone, but any ire she felt toward her words blended with the anger she felt at what Zelena had potentially done, and might do.

Zelena continued along her path, moving toward Snow and her family.

It was David's turn to be protective, and he placed his hand over where his unborn child rested. "Don't – come any closer."

"Don't worry. I'm not here for your baby." Zelena tilted her head to one side as she veered to their left. "Not today anyway."

Regina moved from her seat at the far end of the bar to confront her. "Then why _are_ you here?"

Zelena turned to Regina and spoke in a casual tone. "Now that my cover's blown, I can finally pay a visit to my little sister."

Regina didn't bat an eye. "Who the hell are you talking about?"

Zelena answered her like she had been eagerly waiting to deliver this revelation. "Why you of course, Regina."

A wave of murmurs thrummed through the diner.

Emma summed up what everyone was thinking. "_What?_"

Any effect Zelena's surprise had on Regina failed to show on the queen's face. "I'm an only child."

"Cora _lied_ to you, Regina. I'm your sister. Half, if you want to get technical."

"Why should I believe anything you say?"

"Ouh, well you shouldn't. It's a lot to swallow, which is why I've brought a gift to help."

Regina scoffed. "I don't want a gift from you."

"Ahh, but you shall have it. You see my gift to you is this sad, sad day. Use it to _dig_ into our past, Regina. You need to learn the truth and you must believe it. And then – meet me on Main Street tonight. Say… sundown."

Far from concerned, Regina met Zelena's self-assurance with her own. "And then what?"

The corners of Zelena's mouth turned downward. "Then I'll _destroy_ you."

Regina seemed amused by the challenge. "This isn't the wild west."

"No, dear. It's the _wicked_ west." Zelena addressed the crowd behind her. "And I want everyone to be there, to see the Evil Queen lose."

"I don't lose," Regina said with a confidence built from experience.

"Neither do I." Zelena had another go at invading Regina's personal space. "One of us is about to make history. See ya tonight, Sis." She cackled and opened the door with a wave of her hand, putting the diner behind her, and gradually Regina's mask of poise slid away.

Emma and her parents gathered by Regina at the counter, along with Belle, Granny, Ruby, and Tinkerbell who had overheard Zelena's declaration on her way back from the washroom.

Granny wordlessly poured Regina a drink.

"And you're sure Cora never said anything about her?" David asked as he circled around the group.

"I think I would remember if my mother told me she had a lovechild with the scarecrow."

Emma dove into the conversation. "It doesn't matter if Zelena's your sister or not, she wants you dead – any idea why?"

"I've never even _met_ here before today."

"Doesn't mean you didn't do something to piss her off," Emma pointed out.

Tinkerbell added, "You did manage to step on a lot of toes in our world."

"Well none of them were green."

"Then there's the missing year," said Granny. "Maybe you did something to her then."

"Stick to the lasagna, lady." Regina was getting defensive, maybe rightfully so. "This is starting to sound an awful lot like you're all on _her_ side." She picked up her jacket and stood from the barstool.

"_Where_ are you going?" said Emma.

"To find out exactly what this witch thinks I did to her." Regina spun her coat over her shoulders and slipped it on as she left the diner.

Snow was pensively silent for a moment, and then shifted from her seat. "I'm going with her."

"Me too." Emma swung around to retrieve their coats.

Sensing there would be no stopping them, David said, "We'll lockdown Main Street in case this fight actually happens."

Ruby waited a beat for Snow and Emma to leave before speaking. "Are you sure about this? Zelena said she wants people there."

"We can at least prevent people from wandering into the middle of a fight." David fished his cellphone from his trouser pocket. "Let's start calling around and get some bodies out there."

Between them they were able to get Leroy, Happy, Tiny, Sean, and Jim on board. Sean was the first to arrive and David posted him at the north end of the street.

"If we position someone there, there, and there we'll have the whole street covered," David said as he pointed and led the way down Main Street.

"I'll talk to Blue – see if we can get reinforcements," said Tinkerbell, but was intercepted by Snow and Emma's return.

"No, you heard what Zelena, she said no interference," Emma voiced over Tinkerbell. "She might order Gold to level half the block if we try something before she has a crack at her sister."

Tinkerbell asked for confirmation. "So they really _are_ sisters?"

"She found a letter in her vault confirming it," answered Snow.

David closed their makeshift circle. "Where is she? Regina."

"She disappeared," said Snow. "Something in the letter upset her."

"Should we try to find her?" Tinkerbell suggested.

"That's if she wants to be found." Ruby remembered how impossible it had been for her to track Regina when the town thought she had killed Archie.

Emma shot the idea down. "Regina was pretty clear she didn't want any help on this one."

David guessed at their alternative. "We're gonna let her walk into this fight alone?"

Emma had another speedy reply ready. "No, she's gonna get help whether she wants it or not."

"But you just said we can't interfere," said Belle.

"Because Zelena has Gold on her side. We need to rule him out from the equation." Emma continued directing her reply toward Belle even as the other woman turned away. "It's the only way Regina has a fighting chance. We just need to get his dagger."

That was easier said than done in Snow's opinion. "You saw Zelena – she practically has it glued to her hand."

An idea quickly formed in Belle's mind, but going through with it would mean prolonging a truth that had had become false. It was a draught of duplicity Belle would have to will herself to swallow. "Wait, wait – what if – what if I can get through to Rumple without the dagger?"

The rest of the group exhibited a flash of hesitation at the proposal, and Belle thought she saw them briefly glance in Ruby's direction. It wasn't her imagination, as she noticed Ruby tense under their gazes but didn't look at anyone but her when she spoke.

"It's worth a shot." Her consent was like a blade severing the others' gazes on her.

David tactfully picked up the discussion. "Okay, we'll go up to the farmhouse. Snow –"

"I'll stay here with Ruby." Snow moved to her best friend's side and tucked her arm in hers. "We'll make sure as few people as possible wander into the street."

Belle was startled by the twinge of irritation which pricked her and knew she had no right to feel this way. She tried to keep a straight face. This was for the best.

_**- Flashback -**_

"They've been _what?_" Mulan had only just returned from visiting her village when Belle broke the news.

"Zelena turned them into flying monkeys for telling Snow and David she wants to take their baby."

Mulan was silent as she gaped at Belle, but her eyes revealed she was furiously thinking. "I have to go." She spun on her heel and retraced her steps down the corridor, forcing Belle to follow.

"W-Wait, Mulan – where are you going?"

"To find them."

Belle thought this was the case but it was still a baffling plan. "They could be anywhere, and even if you were able to find a pair of flying monkeys you can't know if it's them." Her head swam with the resulting heat from her fervent rebuttal.

Mulan turned around so suddenly Belle backpedaled out of surprise. "Phillip said you used fairydust to change him back from the Yaoguai. Could it work on the flying monkeys?" Her mind was working faster than Belle could keep up with.

"I-I don't know. You would have to ask the fairies."

"Ask the fairies," Mulan repeated to herself.

"Mulan, you can't go out alone chasing after flying monkeys." Belle struggled to find something to talk Mulan out of what seemed like a futile effort. "What if Zelena finds you and turns you into one of them?"

"I have to try, Belle. Would you not do the same for someone you loved?"

Someone she loved. The face which flashed in her mind materialized at the end of the corridor. She felt dizzy and the world tilted before fading to black.

**- Granny's Diner -**

Snow and Ruby waited at a table outside the diner for the trio of dwarves to show. Jim already came and went to guard the south end of the Main Street. Every so often Ruby glanced up and down the road, between the pawn shop and the library.

"You're not at all worried about what will happen when Belle sees Gold for the first time since Pan?"

Her gaze snapped to Snow. "What's to worry about? Belle's the one who suggested the idea. Don't you agree it's worth a try?"

Snow gave her a mildly reproachful look. "You know what I mean."

She sighed and looked away. "It's Belle's choice. That's all that matters."

"You matter too."

Ruby's gaze returned to Snow, who was every bit as sincere and thoughtful as she had been when they were on the run together in the Enchanted Forest. "I think David had better watch out, or this wolf will steal his sheep." She felt Snow lightly kick her boot under the table.

"Do you mind if I cut in?" Drew had materialized at the tail end of the women's exchange.

"Drew –" Ruby sat up in her chair. "Did you talk to Whale?" She noted his furtive glance toward her best friend and added, "You can say it in front of Snow."

He nodded and answered her. "We looked over the hospital's security footage. There's nothing to indicate someone broke into the blood supply."

"Nothing _physical_." Ruby amended his statement.

Snow took it a step further. "Magic can bypass all that."

Drew glanced between them. "So you do think Rumpelstiltskin is responsible?"

Ruby paused. "Maybe not." She hadn't completely ruled out Rumpelstiltskin's involvement, but Zelena's manner implied she was the one who had spiked the blood meant for Drew. She stood from the table and said, "I need to show you something. Snow, do you mind if I go?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. I'll be fine waiting on my own." Snow donned a spirited grin. "Plus if I need backup Granny's inside."

Drew followed Ruby to the bed and breakfast, whereupon he waited for her in the parlour to return with the book she had borrowed from Belle and Ruby showed him a particular page.

The book contained a chapter dedicated to the feeding habits of vampires. Within the chapter a tidy list of creatures and the effect consuming their blood had on a vampire's health was written. For werewolf blood, it was increased aggression.

"Did you know about this?"

Drew shook his head as he skimmed over the list. "I hadn't encountered a werewolf before." He frowned at a note about infants' blood being fatal. "I've been careful about my feeds."

"Well someone intentionally gave you _my_ blood."

He looked up from the book. "Any idea who?"

She grimaced and explained what had happened in the diner during Neal's wake: about Zelena, what she said, and how she said it.

"But why would she want me to drink your blood?"

"She must have known what the effect would be. As for her motivation…" Ruby thought back to what her grandmother had said to Regina not long ago. "Maybe I did something during the missing year she didn't like." _And she's taking it out on my friends._

_**- Flashback -**_

Belle's senses were sluggish as the world seeped forth. Instead of the corridor she was in a lit room with a cool cloth on her forehead and a warm blanket draped over her resting body. The face she had seen before fainting away reappeared. "Where's Mulan?" her own voice sounded weak to her ears.

"She left the castle." Ruby removed the washcloth from Belle's brow and hung it over the nearby water basin. "She said to tell you she's sorry but she had to go."

Ruby had just turned the corner in the corridor when she spotted Mulan and Belle in conversation. Belle's gaze had met Ruby's for an instant, and then Ruby saw Belle's body sway. Ruby ran to catch her but Mulan was there sooner, easing Belle safely to the floor. Mulan put her forehead to Belle's and Ruby's shoulders tensed.

"She's running a fever," Mulan concluded when she pulled away. She peered into Belle's strained face and then said, "Will you look after her?"

There was no question about whether or not Ruby would. "Yes. I will. But what about you?"

Mulan passed Belle to Ruby's arms, appearing regretful, and answered, "There is someone else who needs me to look after them."

Belle sunk into her pillow and closed her eyes. "For Aurora…"

A prick of wonder startled Ruby. Only Aurora? Ruby started to draw a conclusion but ultimately decided it wasn't her business. She wasn't even sure if Belle knew she might have just divulged something private, for she had mumbled the words and returned to slumber. The concern for Mulan still showed on her brow. Gingerly, Ruby touched the crease with her thumb and smoothed it away until Belle relaxed in her sleep.

**- Main Street -**

For some reason Ruby had left them to resolve the issue of Zelena's duel with Regina on their own – alright, not 'some reason' Belle admitted. Snow had said Drew came by with news related to the public disturbance he had caused the other day and then Ruby had embarked on some investigation with him. It was perfectly reasonable, but Belle couldn't shake the feeling that Ruby was purposely leaving her out of the loop.

Soon the sun had completely set and as per Zelena's request a crowd had gathered on Main Street to witness the magic showdown between the powerful sisters.

Emma pivoted her head as she moved through the crowd. "Have you seen Regina?"

Snow was on the lookout for the queen as well. "Not since the vault."

"If she doesn't get here soon that witch could take it out on all of us," warned Tinkerbell.

"Let's get everybody out of here before that happens – alright, listen up!" David squeezed past the fairy to stand in the middle of the gathering. "We need you to get back to your homes –"

"No one's going anywhere."

The people parted to reveal Zelena's presence and Gold not far behind her.

"This show needs and audience." Zelena sauntered forward with the Dark One's dagger in her gloved hand. She came upon Tom Clark, who was paralyzed with fear. "Out of my way, _munchkin_."

"I'm a – dwarf."

Zelena strode past him. "That's even worse."

Belle anxiously watched Rumpelstiltskin as they drew closer and he returned her gaze.

"Where is she? Hm?" Zelena stopped in front of Emma and the others. "Don't tell me. She's a coward. Hm, well this isn't good. For any of you. If my sister's not here in _five_ minutes, I'm going to let the Dark One off his leash."

Zelena was annoyingly fond of dog-related metaphors.

Rumpelstiltskin's face slackened with contrite misery and Belle felt sorry for a number of things in that moment.

She had a compulsion to try speaking to him again, but after Zelena had unexpectedly appeared in the farmhouse cellar earlier that day she doubted it would do any good.

Zelena was keeping an eye on the clock tower, and after five minutes declared, "Time's up." She sidled up to Gold, who refused to look at her. "Who do you wanna kill first, Rumple?"

"He's not killing anyone." Emma came forward to face the Wicked Witch. "If you wanna fight someone Zelena, fight me."

"Sorry, dear." Zelena hardly bothered to size her up. "I don't dance with amateurs."

"I'm not an amateur – I'm the savior."

"Hm. It appears someone's got an inflated sense of self-worth." Zelena turned to Gold and tipped the dagger in Emma's direction. Instantly Gold raised his left hand and Emma was knocked back into two onlookers and crumpled on the road.

"Well, that was somewhat entertaining – in a pathetic sort of way," Zelena said as she watched David and Tinkerbell grasp Emma's arms and help her upright. Her gaze went sideways and a spiteful curl transformed her voice. "But this will be far better."

"No!"

Belle heard Rumpelstiltskin's horrified cry before she realized what was happening. Her body was pitched skyward like a marionette's strings being yanked by an entertainer. She was aware of the scream which left her and someone below shouting her name. Her mind was frantic, for she had been thrown high enough to come eyelevel with the clock face, and there was no safe landing unless one of her friends – the savoir, the prince, or _anyone_ – could act in time. Gravity took over and she shut her eyes to whatever outcome awaited her.

"You okay?"

She hadn't struck the road. The road wasn't this warm, or soft, or safe. Belle's eyes flicked open at the voice close to her ear and saw Ruby cradling her in the security of her arms, brown eyes flecked with green searching for emotional distress. "Y-Yeah…" There was plenty, and when Ruby set her on her feet Belle gripped the sleeve of Ruby's jacket to maintain equilibrium. Her gaze hastily went to Rumpelstiltskin, but all she saw was his relief at her safety and how sorry he was for having put her in danger. Despite her escape from becoming a tragedy on Main Street, Belle didn't feel relieved at all.

Zelena's tone was entirely taunting. "Oh, does the wolf want to give it a go?" Her bright eyes glimmered. "Won't mind getting a matching scar, will you?"

The workings in Ruby's head spun as she apprehended the nature of Zelena's question, but Belle's mind was swifter than hers and she felt the pull on her jacket strengthen.

At that moment Regina made her grand entrance, wearing red gloves to contrast with Zelena's green ones. "Didn't anyone tell you? Black, is _my_ colour."

Zelena made a tickled sound. "But it looks _so_ much better on me. I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up."

"I couldn't let my sister off that easily."

"Ohh… So you've finally accepted me into the family."

"I've accepted that we've shared a mother, yes, but I still have one question." Regina leaned toward her elder sister. "What the hell did I ever do to you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Zelena drew closer and sneered. "You were _born_."

The slap Regina delivered to Zelena's face resonated and left a smidgen of blood at the crook of her mouth. "I've been waiting to do that. _All_ – _day_."

"Rumpelstiltskin can't save you this time." The malice in Zelena's voice multiplied. "He should have chosen me!"

"Who?"

"_Rumpelstiltskin_."

"_That's_ what this is about?" Regina's smirk was partially amused conceit and incredulous that the Wicked Witch's rationale was essentially juvenile. "You're _jealous_ of me?" She almost snickered and stepped back to bring the traffic light hanging above down on Zelena.

The witch tossed the fixture aside and it skittered along the road between scattering bystanders.

"You still don't realize what you had. You never did." The sisters circled one another as Zelena ranted. "You got _everything_ I've ever wanted and you didn't even deserve it! But I'm going to take it all from _you!_" She threw her hands out and the force of her magic thrust Regina to crash unceremoniously onto the hood of Doc's vehicle.

"My Miata…"

Regina slid off the car and prepared a ball of fire in her right hand as she marched toward Zelena, but Cora's eldest daughter easily snuffed it out with a twist of the wrist and green magic to combat the red flame.

She moved in with the same hand and magically seized Regina by the throat. "You can't beat me little sis." Zelena raised Regina off her feet. "Everything Rumpelstiltskin taught you, he taught me too. But I was the better student." Zelena spun to the left, bringing Regina with her, and tossed the queen at the clock tower so she smashed through the clock face.

In the time Emma and the others spent gawking up at the damaged clock Zelena was swept in a whirl of green smoke and disappeared, presumably to rejoin Regina in the tower. A few seconds later Rumpelstiltskin followed suit, leaving Belle with one more abject expression.

His departure was a concern as the crowd took it to mean that Zelena had defeated Regina. Emma's group rushed to the library doors which Belle hurriedly unlocked. The stairs were a no-go for Snow, so David ushered his wife and daughter into the elevator. Ruby shut the doors and operated the lift to go up while Belle and Tinkerbell looked on. When the compartment reached to top and the gears ceased to creak Ruby listened – there were four voices, and one of them was Regina's.

The elevator descended by means of Regina's magic and spat Snow's family into the library foyer. It turned out Zelena wanted Regina's heart, and including David's courage they made up ingredients for an unknown spell. Regina brushed past everyone to check up on her heart and Tinkerbell made it a point to pursue her.

"Where did you put it?"

Regina didn't stop and strode right through the lingering crowd in the street. "Why? Do you want to have another look at it?"

"No, I want to make sure it's safe. If you don't have your heart then you won't be able to –" Tinkerbell came to a halt when Regina abruptly turned and stared at her with the same hard look she had given her in the diner.

"It _is_ safe." The lines of Regina's face softened as she regarded Tinkerbell. "… And it's open."

_**- Flashback -**_

Short of a week later since falling ill, Belle was ready to try getting out of bed. The temperature in the castle was low – one of the shortcomings of the Enchanted forest compared to Storybrooke – and Belle appropriately bundled herself in robes and a heavy cloak. Walking around the castle and greeting those she passed in the corridors was enough for a while, until Leroy saw her.

"If you're looking for Ruby she's out in the quad behind the castle."

She pulled the cloak around her closer. "Uh… okay…"

"I've never forgotten what you told me, in the tavern. I hope you haven't forgotten either."

Belle doubted Leroy had said this out of any observations he had recently made about her, but the words were no less potent.

She heard the voices, twangs, and thumps before seeing the trio of faces.

"Ha!" Snow beamed with a glow enhanced by her current state. "Pregnant but still accurate."

Was it okay for Snow to be doing this?

As if she heard the thought, Ruby turned, her expression wavering between elation and concern. "Belle! You're feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you." She came closer while eyeing the skewered circular targets. "What's happening here?"

Robin was in a chipper mood, likely because he was in his element. "A bit of an archery competition. Snow White is just shy of overtaking my lead."

Snow's eyes narrowed as she grinned. "You've gotten rusty, Red."

Ruby half-heartedly sighed and reasoned, "Well it's not like I really needed a bow to defend myself anymore."

Robin walked into the space between them and said, "So it is that the student has surpassed the master."

Belle blinked and looked at Ruby. "You taught her how to shoot an arrow?"

"Among other skills she needed to survive the woods."

"I honestly don't know how long I would have lasted without you."

The pair shared a warm look born of their past together. Belle wasn't clear on how long they had known each other, but she found herself again thinking how aggrieved she was that she had been kept from society for periods of her noble life. Robin broke her from her thoughts.

"Belle, would you care to give it a go?"

She stared at the bow in his hand, the distance to the targets, and the arrows protruding from the wood. "I've never used a bow and arrow before."

"Then this is your chance," Robin simply replied.

Ruby was encouraging. "Maybe you'll even pick it up faster than Snow did."

It was an appealing notion. Belle had never been particularly competitive but the thought of besting Snow White at something was inducing. She upturned her blue eyes to Ruby and said, "Will you teach me?"

The softness of her voice made Ruby flush. "I'd… I'd be honoured."

**- Granny's Diner -**

Emma and her parents headed for the loft before Hook arrived too early with Henry. Belle joined the portion of the crowd which dribbled into the diner to replenish their vigour, but sat removed from them at the end of the counter and absently stirred the straw in her iced tea.

_Rumple didn't notice_. She had been careful about what she said to him in the cellar, to convince him to leave with her; but even as she had worried about what to say, she was worried what would happen should she have succeeded. _He's changed. Surely after Neal –_

An old leather-bound book, the one about vampires, was pushed into her line of view.

"Thanks for lending it to me."

Belle placed her hand on the worn cover. It felt warm, and she thought of Ruby's fingers turning over each page. "Was it useful?"

"Yeah." Ruby could tell by Belle's expectant look she wished for her to elaborate, but… "I should be going." She awkwardly gesticulated toward the door with one hand. "I'm meeting Drew at The Rabbit Hole."

Inwardly, Belle recoiled. Although she knew better, the first thought that had sprung to mind at Ruby's words was that she was going out on a date. This was not a date however. More than likely they were going to further discuss what was shaping to be Ruby's personal mystery. Surely. "If you need any help –"

"I'm okay." Ruby's indulgent smile was somehow off. "You have enough to think about without this taking up your time."

The consideration she was being given, or rather Ruby's interpretation of it, was frustrating. "I would make the time for you."

Ruby was transfixed by Belle's earnest gaze, the gaze that had sought to persuade her in the library during Wolfstime, and was again searching for too much. She choked down the urge rising in her body. It was enough that she unconditionally believed Belle's words.

* * *

A/N: Gonna try updating like mad this week.


	5. The Jolly Roger

A/N: Clearly I wasn't able to make my self-imposed deadline.

Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time" is property of Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, ABC, etc.

* * *

The Jolly Roger

The farmhouse was situated upon land flat and open enough to make it fairly easy to spot if anyone was entering or leaving the premises. With magic however, it would be easy for Zelena to simply transport herself from one place to another without having to step outside. So it was that Ruby had to employ not just her eyes but her ears as she kept a lookout for Zelena from the cover of the surrounding woods. Beside her, Drew did the same, and when she was satisfied with the silence Ruby made her move.

"I don't hear her. I'm going in. Keep watch here."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Nope." She darted from the woods and headed for the cellar. Ruby didn't like anything about this, but if one was looking for an answer then Rumpelstiltskin was the one to talk to. She pulled back the creaking unlocked doors and carefully trod down the wooden steps.

The cellar was damp and dripping, the air permeated with the smell of hay. At the far side of the room was a cage, and sitting inside with his back to the stairs was Rumpelstiltskin.

He turned to her, slowly, and frowned. "What are _you_ doing here?" He sounded both surprised and annoyed that she was the one who had infiltrated this space.

She got straight to the point. "It's about the deal you made with my grandmother."

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm trapped here because Zelena has my dagger and at the moment is probably carrying on with whatever mad plan she has for us. Not exactly the time to be revising past transactions."

"This is about the payment. My blood?"

He paused. "Your dear granny told you, did she?"

Ruby had not reason to doubt her grandmother on the exchange but now she had corroboration from Gold, which made the fact more chilling. "What have you done with it?"

"Nothing." A mite of smugness slipped into his voice. "Yet."

Her form tensed with anger and she spat, "Well I think Zelena has already used it." As she had hoped it would, her supposition robbed him of his Dark One conceit.

"… _What?_"

"She used it to make a vampire lose control and attack people a few days ago."

"That's not –" He may have been bodily confined to the cellar but Gold was free to think what he liked and use it to his advantage. His smooth confidence returned and he said, "What makes you think Zelena didn't acquire her own sample of your werewolf blood during the year none of us can recall?"

The temperature below ground wasn't too cold for Ruby but she shivered nonetheless. The new scar on her abdomen had an unknown origin, but Zelena had alluded to knowing about it.

"You're not Snow White," Gold sneered. "When you're wronged you hold a grudge."

Ruby bit back. "If I do, I don't kill people over it."

"But you _have_ killed."

She exploded. "I could have killed _Belle!_" Ruby saw how Gold quailed at that and went on. "During the first Wolfstime in Storybrooke, she let me hide in the library but wouldn't leave. I didn't know if I still had control – I could have killed her, and then what?" She expected Gold would have been furious, and even though he was the one who kept her hood from her he would have found a way to put all the blame on Ruby and put her down for her crime. He was clearly thinking about it, but his reluctance to answer right away was a testament to Belle's claim about Rumpelstiltskin. The ire drained from her body as she recalled that night the deadly possibility. It left her frigid and broken, dropping her head and murmuring, "I would have done it myself."

_**- Flashback -**_

Their walk back to the castle confirmed Belle's suspicion. Toward the end of her archery lesson she had started to notice Ruby's occasional glances to the sky or shadows on the ground, and she understood why. After all, Belle had been keeping track of the passing days herself.

"I know what I want," Belle announced as they approached the castle doors.

"Want?"

She feigned shock. "Don't tell me you've forgotten about making up for shackling me in the library."

Ruby stopped so abruptly the arrows in the quiver she was carrying clattered. "Of – of course not!" So glad was she that Belle had come to a decision that she readily grinned. "So? What is it?"

Belle brought herself to her full height and said, "I want to be there when you change next Wolfstime." Although Belle knew Ruby would honour whatever request she made, this particular one grazed a subject Ruby might still have been sensitive to. Yet while at first Ruby stared at her with eyes wide her expression gave way to an indulgent smile.

"As you wish."

******- Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer -**

Belle looked up from the spell book she was reading when someone pushed open the door and called her name. "_Ariel?_" It was a pleasant surprise, which was much preferred over the types of surprises she had been recently exposed to. "Where have you been? I was worried I was never going to see you again." She briefly brought her hands to the sides of Ariel's face before bringing her into a hug.

"I've been looking for Eric," Ariel answered as she reciprocated the hug. "He's been missing since we all returned."

Hook had come into the shop with her and said, "We were hoping we could find something of his here." He sounded not at all enthusiastic for someone using the word 'hoping.'

It took Belle a second to understand what this meant. "Oh – of course. To… see if he's in Storybrooke."

"Have you seen anything of his?" Ariel's tone was much keener, with good reason.

"I only just started sorting through things, but, uh… don't despair. Let's… let's start looking." Belle glanced at Hook and nodded a gesture more of permission than agreement.

She started peering through the glass display cases beside her with Ariel while mulling over what might indicate something belonging to Eric. Belle was about to ask Ariel more about him for hints, but the mermaid spoke first.

"So… have you and Ruby made-up?"

She honestly hadn't expected the question and instead of looking at Ariel she turned her attention to the antiquities on the wall. "Uh… yeah."

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

Belle could say with certainty that she and Ruby were on amiable terms, but there remained a fragment of doubt which fractured the usual ease of their rapport. "We're still friends. That's enough for now."

Ariel's features became quizzical. "For now?"

She'd slipped – but Ariel's innate virtue prevented her from making any assumptions. "Um, Hook – might've – found something."

They went into the back room and found Hook with his hand on the clasp of a wool cloak.

"That's Eric's!" Ariel's worried tone was alleviated by a hint of relief. "How did you know that was his?"

"I, uh… I wasn't sure. I saw the sea creature clasp and… remembered he was from a maritime kingdom."

It was impressive Hook knew that information which led to the connection, though Belle might have questioned it if she wasn't so pleased for her friend.

Ariel smiled. "He is. He was. And now he's here." She briefly turned her smile to Belle and then embraced Hook in a hug, which he didn't appear all that happy to receive. Gracefully accepting gratitude must have been as difficult for him as showing humility.

Belle gave the instruction to lay the cloak out on the table while she rifled through the shelves for a particular bottle. It was small and contained a clear liquid which she uncorked and sprinkled over the garment, shimmering as each drop made contact. "This is the locator spell, so whatever object it's poured on becomes enchanted, and returns itself to its rightful owner," she explained to Ariel.

"Thank you, Belle. I know that you've been busy trying to find a way to break your Mr. Gold out of the witch's control. You didn't have to do this."

She inhaled and it shuddered as she reflected over what she had truly been busy with, but in Ariel's presence her smile came naturally. "No, I… I did. You know, perhaps a little good news around here will be contagious."

The potion worked its magic on the cloak, causing it to rise from the table before swooping through the curtains leading to the front of the shop.

"Let's go!" Ariel chased after it with Belle following and Hook bringing up the rear.

Belle only got to just outside the shop when she urged the two to go on without her, after hearing a mechanical squealing down the street.

Snow was standing on the sidewalk, looking resigned and as though she was waiting for something. A few seconds later Belle knew what it was – David's truck came pealing out of the lot but David was in the passenger seat. The one in the driver's seat looked like – Henry. Snow ran to keep tabs on the truck as they swerved on the road and nearly collided with an oncoming car, which was clearly too close a call for Snow White as she jumped.

They had avoided the car but the nearby mailbox wasn't as lucky as they crashed into and toppled it. At least that hadn't been the girl who had been about to deposit her mail. After that Snow decided the best course of action was to cover her eyes and similarly Belle went back inside the shop.

She hoped Ariel and Hook would be alright finding Eric – and that they kept off any streets Henry might turn into. Really, what was David thinking? The town was probably better off when Ruby was temporary sheriff… The adjacent thoughts produced a new idea, one Belle was astonished she hadn't considered before. Everyone in Storybrooke had something which belonged to them in the shop where she stood, which meant that Ruby must also have had something – and the only significant item Belle could think of had been in Spencer's hands.

_**- Flashback -**_

Ruby had changed into the wolf and vice versa many times in front of other people, but it had never been for the sole purpose of showing off the transformation. So this time, with her only reason being because Belle wanted to see it happen, she felt strangely self-conscious about removing her enchanted riding hood.

They stood facing one another some distance away from outside the castle gates, away from the eyes of others with only the stars and bright full moon as their silent observers.

Ruby pushed back the hood from her head. "Are you ready?"

Belle gave a slight nod. "Are you?"

She took a breath, removed her red riding hood, and handed it to Belle. Within a few seconds Ruby felt the warm tingle of magic and bent over on her hands and knees. She felt the change of bone and muscle and heard the amplified music of insects nestled in the grass. Her eyes she kept closed, but her nose twitched as she sensed Belle in the air. She hadn't run. Ruby didn't think she would. In fact, when Ruby finally opened her eyes, Belle was standing in the same place she had been when Ruby handed off her hood. Her expression suggested she was reconciling the wolf before her with the woman she knew, and then she was smiling and stepping toward her.

Belle peered into amber eyes and was fascinated by the recognition she saw in them. Her hands came up and gently touched the sides of the wolf's face. "You're not a monster."

Ruby wondered how much of the gratitude in her heart conveyed in her wolf face. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, and felt Belle's thumbs lightly brush her jowl before dropping her hands.

"Go on," she said softly, "and make sure you come back."

The wolf gave Belle a long look, committing every detail to memory to ensure that she would be able to return to the beauty.

**- The Rabbit Hole -**

"What's next?" Drew asked as he set down his glass of scotch.

The Rabbit Hole had seemed an appropriate place to reconvene after their exploit, but the afternoon's easygoing atmosphere did nothing for Ruby's mood. "I'll talk to Snow. No matter what issue Zelena has with me the fact is the Wicked Witch is a problem, for everyone in Storybrooke. Maybe Regina will have something figured out."

"So if destroying Regina is Zelena's ultimate goal then what she did with your blood is just to toy with you?

Ruby wearily looked down into her glass of red. "Sorry you got involved in all this."

"No, you said it yourself. The Wicked Witch is the whole town's problem." He sipped from his drink and then said, "Seeing as that's how it is what does Belle have to say about this?"

Ruby couldn't help her physical reaction to the name. "Belle?"

"Yeah. She's smart, right? She must have some insight." Her silence and how she avoided meeting his gaze said enough, and he was flabbergasted. "You haven't _told_ her?"

It wasn't like being scolded by Granny but Drew managed to drag the guilt Ruby has been suppressing to the surface. "I don't know what Zelena wants from me but I do know I don't want anyone else getting hurt because of it."

"You intend to protect her?"

"Is that bad?"

Drew shrugged but said, "I don't think she needs it." He tapped the side of his head. "She has a pretty mean swing for a librarian."

Belle hadn't been all-out furious that day, but it was the closest Ruby had seen her to being. Honestly, Ruby found it an impressive sight to behold. "Yeah," she chuckled. "She really does."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the faves as follows thus far! I do take "requests" into consideration for future chapters, but if I don't fulfill them or it's not what you were expecting it's only because I couldn't find a suitable place to put it within the story I already have in mind.


	6. Bleeding Through

A/N: For AstroKitty, originally when I was brainstorming ideas for a Red Beauty story over a year ago I had considered adding Carmilla, but ultimately I chose to omit her because her presence made the story unnecessarily complicated for what I wanted to accomplish. It's nice you asked about her though!

Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time" is property of Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, ABC, etc.

* * *

Bleeding Through

If it wasn't for Zelena's threats hanging over their heads this could have been just another day in Storybrooke – pre-curse breaking, Ruby supposed. She was working today and breaking in the diner's waffle maker by filling Madison's order. Tiger Lily meanwhile was regaling her with a tirade about David's poor judgment.

"He nearly ran me over!" Madison continued as she sprayed whipped cream over her waffles. "It's an abuse of power."

Ruby had heard the story of how David had attempted to connect with their grandson through underage driving from Snow, but she had left out the part about almost knocking over a pedestrian. "Were you at least able to send your mail?"

"After I righted the mailbox."

"Hey, save some of that for everyone else." Ruby confiscated the dispenser from Madison and the girl made a face.

She picked up her fork and jabbed it into the creamy mountain she had constructed. "So what's it like going back to waitressing after being town sheriff?"

"It's… home. And I like how normal it is compared to everything else that's happening." Ruby glanced toward the entrance when Jefferson and Grace walked in. The Hatter's daughter spotted Henry and Emma in one of the booths and went to say hello. From the bits of conversation Ruby had overheard at the Charmings' family dinner, Henry had met Grace at Dark Star Pharmacy while Emma and David had been busy building the baby crib. "Looks like Hook won't be babysitting Henry today."

"Hook, huh…"

"You don't think he's trustworthy?"

"He's different from how I remember him, I'll say that much. He's always had his own type of honour but mostly acts out of self-interest. This time, though… he might actually care." Madison discreetly watched Emma leave the diner.

"His not trying to kill someone is an added plus," Ruby deadpanned.

Madison chewed, swallowed, and reached for her glass of milk. "Speaking of Belle…"

"Who's speaking of Belle?" A hint of defensiveness coloured Ruby's hasty reply.

"_We_ are." Tiger Lily regarded Red Riding Hood with an authoritative mien befitting of a princess. "You are a wolf. You should try acting like it."

******- Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer -**

Belle pushed aside the book she had been poring over against the stack of tomes she had already gone through. Courage and a heart… there were a few spells Belle had come across which needed one or the other and sometimes both, but the intent of the spells varied. She needed to narrow it down. The Wicked Witch… the Wizard of Oz… could brains be another ingredient?

In the midst of concentrating on her research Belle had missed the sound of the door chiming open, but now she unmistakably heard someone rifling through the shop.

"This is all useless _crap!_"

_Regina_. "Hey – hey!" Belle discovered the queen throwing inventory around and rummaging through drawers. "Stop! Stop it! What – What are you looking for?"

"I need to destroy my sister – she has my heart. Oh relax, she can't control me with it," she added when Belle started to withdraw. "I protected it from that. Problem is, I don't know what she plans on using it for – which is why I need to take her _out_." Her focus shifted to the only other person besides Rumpelstiltskin who knew the most about this shop. "That's why I need your help." She approached Belle and clasped her hands. "What do you have here?"

"What do I have here?" Belle scoffed. "_Self-respect_. Why on earth or _any_ realm would I help _you_? The woman, who imprisoned me in a tower in her castle, and put me in an asylum for twenty-eight years; who's done nothing but mentally and physically torture me, _ever_ since we've known each other."

"Huh." Regina was both a little impressed and amused. "Bookworm's got teeth."

"Get out."

"Yes, I did all those horrible things – in the past. But right now, I _need_ something to defeat the woman who's puppet mastering your – boyfriend. She has Rumple, and unless you help me you may never see him again."

Belle could see what she was doing, appealing to her feelings for Rumpelstiltskin to convince her to help. She also noticed how Regina hesitated in calling him her boyfriend. Regina knew too, but instead of bringing it up the queen was playing dumb.

She looked her in the eye, and apologized. "I'm sorry, Belle. I really… really am."

Belle wasn't quite ready to forgive. Over twenty-eight years of abuse was a long time to get over; but so far as she could tell, Regina was being sincere with her apology and that was a start. "So I've been trying to match the ingredients that Zelena's been collecting to whatever spell she intends to cast. It would really help if I knew _what_ is so special about your heart. Does she just want it because you're sisters or…?"

"I have no idea." Regina shook her head but then something came to mind. "The candle." She moved toward the shelves. "Where's the candle?"

"Here?" Belle picked up a nearby candelabrum with three holders.

Regina made a face. "Not _that_, Liberace. The two-sided candle Snow used to kill my mother, where's that?"

Belle wearily sighed at the frank description and pulled open the drawer in front of her. "Its power's gone, now it's just a relic." She held out the black and white candle and Regina hastened to retrieve it.

"Yes, that's it." She triumphantly grinned. "This isn't about how my mother died. This is about how she lived."

_**- Flashback -**_

"You have to stop that."

"Stop what?"

Belle ticked off a sack of flour as Ruby set it on the castle pantry's stone floor. "Glaring at Regina like you want to bite her hand off."

"Well that'd give her and Hook something to talk about," Ruby irreverently responded, which earned her a chastising look from Belle. "I can't help it, not after what you told me." She dropped another sack from the wagon, a little carelessly this time. "Has she even apologized for what she did to you?"

"I'm not expecting one."

Ruby watched Belle make another note on the inventory list. "Are you sure you're okay staying here? It was one of these towers, wasn't it?"

"It's fine." Belle touched the feather end of the quill to her temple as her eyes trailed over the parchment. "It's not as though I got to see the rest of the castle during that time."

It was difficult for Ruby to tell how seriously Belle was taking this conversation. "How about a cabin?"

Belle looked up at Ruby with a face like she had misheard her. "A cabin?"

"Yeah, somewhere close by. You'd have more privacy but still be able to see a friendly face once in a while."

There was only one face that mattered most. "That does sound nice, but… I'd rather be wherever you are."

Ruby was still as stone. Ever since Belle had returned from her misadventure with Neal, Ruby felt that their relationship had regained the familiarity they had during their time in Storybrooke. However, once in a while Belle would say or do something which caused Ruby to second-guess Belle's intentions. It was almost like interacting with Lacey, but Belle was more subtle. Ruby had herself convinced though that her own feelings were misinterpreting everything, and she would put it out of her mind as she did now when a bluebird landed on the wagon she was unloading.

There was no message attached but Ruby understood what the bird's presence meant. "I'll be right back." She dusted her hands off on her apron. "Snow needs me." Ruby didn't wait for Belle to answer, and didn't catch the way Belle's expression soured when she departed.

******- Granny's Diner -**

The sign was flipped to CLOSED but between the blinds Belle saw Emma and Hook sitting in one of the booths and she frantically pulled the door open.

"Emma! Emma, I – I found it." Belle dropped the book in her arms on the table in front of Emma and pointed to the open page she had marked. "We have to tell Regina and the others."

"Okay Belle, slow down. _What_ did you find?"

"Zelena's plan. I've figured out what she's doing."

Emma's eyes slowly widened. "_What_ is she doing?"

"It's all here." Belle leaned over the table and showed her what was written in the book. "Courage, a heart, brains – they're ingredients for time travel spells."

Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing, but then belief was something she was having to get used to these days. "Are we talking forward or back?"

Belle answered, "Based on what Zelena said to Regina I'd say she intends to travel to the past."

"Well, then." Hook tucked away his bottle of rum. "This certainly sounds like something the Queen should be alerted to."

"I'll drive." Emma picked up her coat and scooted from the booth.

Belle collected the book she had brought but paused at the sight of the hot cocoa on the counter and looked toward the kitchen. She only moved when Emma called and resumed leaving for Regina's house.

In the back room of the diner Ruby continued with her work.

******- Farmhouse -**

"You just wanted the knife!" Zelena unsheathed the Dark One's dagger from her boot. "I hope you enjoyed the taste, because you just squandered your only chance to have your son!" She swung the dagger and appropriately Rumpelstiltskin tottered backward.

"My son gave his life so I could stop you." Rumpelstiltskin advanced toward Zelena as far as the outstretched dagger would allow. "And I can see only one way to honor that sacrifice – and that's by _killing you_."

Zelena's lips curdled. "And what will you have after that? _Nothing_." She managed to jeer in spite of the crushing disappointment of again not having been chosen by Rumpelstiltskin. "You have the ability to see the future but you can't see what's right in front of you." This was a weapon Zelena had been saving to unleash: "Belle no longer loves you the way she once did."

His first thought was that Zelena had done something to Belle to make this true, but then he remembered how Belle had come to him in the cellar and Zelena had merely mocked them. "You're making up lies."

"Am I?" Her haughty grin was all-knowing. "You didn't notice anything _odd_ the other night when we were on Main Street?"

There wasn't anything odd about how concerned Belle was for him that night. He had seen it himself, and he couldn't have misinterpreted what he had seen… unless it was only what he had wanted to see. "… Why would she…?" he croaked.

The Wicked Witch puffed herself up to cut him down. "Because she's in love with someone else."

_**- Flashback -**_

Something was definitely wrong. Ruby was halfway through her trek to meet Snow when she realized she had left Belle in the lurch, and spent the remaining half of her time composing an apology for someone who wasn't there when she returned to the pantry. Apparently Belle had finished the task of unloading goods herself after enlisting the help of a couple of Robin's men.

Tracking Belle afterward wasn't difficult, but trying to keep her in one place was. Ruby had only just started her carefully constructed apology when Belle deemed it unnecessary. Snow was pregnant with a baby the Wicked Witch was after and needed all the help she could afford. Her words made sense but the primness with which Belle said them was unusual. It was a demeanor Belle maintained for the rest of the day – but only when she was speaking to Ruby; and that was only when Ruby had managed to find her in an effort to find out what was wrong.

"I don't think you can teach her much from up here." David came by the castle window where Ruby was observing Belle shooting arrows in the quad.

"I think she's mad at me."

The way she said it made David think of his own contentions with Snow, the most recent having been not telling his wife the effect of drinking Neverland's water. "Have you tried… talking to her?"

"Tried and failed." Her hooded head slid down the side of the window. "Multiple times."

"Well, try again." He gave her arm an encouraging pat. "Maybe start off with something less controversial."

"Like what?"

"Like letting her know dinner will be served soon."

Ruby dutifully plodded down to the quad whereupon Belle twisted round and nearly shot an arrow through her.

"It's me!" Ruby threw up her hands in submission and wished women would stop aiming pointed objects at her.

Belle's alarmed expression fizzled but was soon replaced by something akin to indifference. "What is it?"

If she hadn't been prepared for this attitude Ruby might have winced. "Supper's ready."

"… Okay." Belle strode off to retrieve the arrows littered in and around the bull's-eye she had been practicing with while Ruby picked up the quiver.

After Belle deposited the arrows she reached for the quiver, but Ruby pulled it away and touched her cheek. Belle sucked in a chill breath of air.

"You're cold." In one sweeping motion Ruby removed her red riding hood and draped it over the short cloak around Belle's shoulders.

It was warm and felt like a hug from Ruby without actually being hugged. "… Thank you."

Ruby tugged the hood over Belle's head and smiled. "Thank _you_ for letting me."

She was well aware why Ruby said this and wished she had handled the situation better. "I apologize for the way I've been acting today. It was childish."

"I'm sorry for abandoning you like that. I should have at least found someone to cover for me before leaving."

"That isn't why I was bothered." Belle awkwardly hugged herself beneath the warmth Ruby had provided. "I was… I –"

_EEEEEEE!_

"Watch out!"

Belle had scarcely caught sight of the pair of monkeys swooping toward them when Ruby pushed her aside. She fell hard on the stone but Belle couldn't think about that, because what she saw was more frightening than facing down the Yaoguai. The flying monkeys had Ruby by the arms and were soaring higher with her each passing second. "Ruby!" There was no time to get help. She needed to do something. The shape of the bow in her hand elicited action and she scoured for an arrow. She snatched one from the quiver, notched it into the bow and aimed, steadying her breath even as her heart pounded. _Steady… steady…_

_TWANG!_

_EEEEE!_

The arrow grazed the wing of one of the monkeys and it dipped to one side, giving Ruby enough reach to swing a leg up and kick its face. The monkey shrieked and released her so she hung from the strength of just one. Belle fired again and missed, but as the monkey swerved Ruby grabbed its tail and forcefully jerked down on it. She dropped from the single monkey's hold and hit the ground rolling over on her side.

"Ruby!" Belle rushed to her and placed her hands over where she thought Ruby might have been hurt. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Ruby grunted as she pushed herself to her feet. The pair of flying monkeys were retreating. Perhaps they thought she wasn't worth the effort, which Ruby wouldn't necessarily have disagreed with. Her attentions turned to the woman beside her. "Thanks for the save." Her green eyes lit up and she beamed. "You hit a moving target! On your first try!"

Belle was baffled by Ruby's apparent lack of concern over almost being abducted. "I… I was lucky."

"Luck played a part but it's your skill that made the difference." Ruby laughed while brushing back her hair and Belle comprehended that her behavior was partially due to nerves. "All that practice paid off."

Belle stared at her and replayed the image of the monkeys taking to the sky with Ruby. If Belle hadn't been armed she didn't know what she could have done. All she would have had was her desperation. "… I didn't want them to take you away."

Ruby calmed at the admission and her face softened. She reached over Belle's shoulders and replaced the hood over her head. "You have me."

She could if she wished it. They were close in nearly every way. The way Belle had only read about in books. Even Lacey didn't have this. All Belle would have to do was push up on her toes to kiss Ruby… and so she did.

The werewolf was deeply, deeply confused. Factually she understood that Belle was kissing her and she should be relishing in it – and part of her did – but the other part couldn't fathom _why_ Belle was doing this. Her stunned state persisted even when Belle fell back on her heels. She dumbly gaped at the blue-eyed beauty, and then Belle gifted her with a tentative smile and a few more neurons started firing. "Uh… We… We shouldn't keep them waiting." Ruby turned like a clockwork soldier and started marching toward the castle.

"Wh…" Dumbfounded, Belle stayed where she was and tried to make sense of what just happened, but she didn't have enough information. "Wait –" She ran after Ruby and grabbed her arm. "Wait a minute!" Belle forced her to look at her. "Was it bad?"

"Huh?"

"Was kissing me that bad?" Her expression tensed. "_Is Lacey better at it?_"

"Belle, hang on a second!" Everything that was happening was so unbelievable that Ruby needed a moment to think. "It… it wasn't bad." Her face grew hot and she found she couldn't properly look at Belle. "I was just… _surprised_. I mean, you and Rumpelstiltskin… you're still… and you've never…" Ruby had no clear idea what she wanted to say.

Belle knew what needed to be said. She had known since before Pan cast his curse, and now she couldn't hold it back any more. "My mind's been made up. I was going to tell Rumple, before Emma and her parents came with the news about Pan's shadow." She curled her hand around the back of Ruby's neck and made her choice for the second time: "I choose the werewolf."

And nothing more was spoken.

******- Granny's Diner -**

Henry ensured Emma's hot cocoa didn't go to waste, although by the time he stopped by the diner it was more tepid than hot.

"Did you have a nice time today?"

"It was alright."

"Only 'alright'?" Even without his memories Ruby thought Henry would have gotten along fine with Grace. The Hatter's daughter likely introduced him to Ava and Nicholas as well, but Ruby didn't see a problem there either.

He answered with a gloomy expression which looked unusual on Henry. "Adults aren't the only ones good at keeping secrets."

Secrets. It was hard sometimes to know when it was right to keep one because you couldn't say for certain how another person would react. More often than not emotions outweighed logic and someone would end up hurt. Magic wasn't the only thing that came with a price.

Ruby tossed the bag of garbage into the dumpster and expelled a long breath. She couldn't say for certain if what she was doing was right, but she didn't want to be like –

"_Gold?"_ Ruby nearly jumped back against the dumpster when she turned and found Rumpelstiltskin standing behind her. "Why – How are you here? Doesn't Zelena have your dagger?"

"Indeed she does." His arms hung at his sides like a character from a western movie. "But there is something she thought I ought to verify."

A paralyzing chill crept up her spine. If Zelena had instigated this it couldn't be good. "… What's that?"

His diplomatic mask was warped by a detestation that became almost palpable in his hardened voice. "_Who it is that Belle loves_."

The worst possible situation was coming to pass and the question was how Ruby would make it out. Her heart was racing and her skin was cold but there was a small chance she could defuse the problem and tread lightly. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I." The steps Gold took toward her were easy but still menacing. "I don't understand why someone would sniff around, what isn't theirs."

"You've got it wr–"

"But –" He held a finger in the air. "I know Belle. She would fight for me." He pointed at himself. "She would _choose_ – _me_."

Ruby already knew all this but it was painful and infuriating to hear Rumpelstiltskin say it. "If you're so sure about that then why are you here?"

The answer was simple. "Insurance." Gold flung Ruby back against the diner wall and restrained her there with her arms outstretched to each side.

"You're going to _kill me?_" She wasn't so much afraid of death as how her family and friends would react. "You think Belle would be okay with that?"

"No, of course not. She values you – as a friend. But I don't have to kill you." He was inches away from her and he murmured, "I only need to take away your love for her."

It was the vilest physical pain Ruby had felt in her life, like five red-hot blades simultaneously plunging into her chest and crowding her ribcage. Her chest continued to burn as Gold yanked away, coming out with her beating heart clutched in his hand. His binding spell lifted and she collapsed on the frigid pavement, barely registering the sting in her knees.

Gold exerted a steady pressure around her heart, keeping her on the ground. "You won't be telling anyone about this."

Ruby struggled to look up, and when she did Gold had summoned his once-ruined cane and brought it down on her face. The silver-coated handle seared her skin and knocked her sideways, dazzling the back of her eyelids.

The Dark One departed as silently as he had arrived. The only sound Ruby could hear in the empty lot was that of her own desperate gasps for air.

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A/N: Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians! Or maybe after this chapter, not so happy? Mwahaha.


	7. A Curious Thing

A/N: Thanks for all the feedback dear readers!

Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time" is property of Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, ABC, etc.

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A Curious Thing

Being without a heart wasn't what Ruby would have imagined. When she thought about what Gold had done to her she was resentful but not furious. She could still feel emotions but was also able to scrutinize them from a removed perspective. It felt like control, but it was really Gold who could categorically control her.

"What happened to your face?" Whale was as tactful as ever when Ruby arrived at the hospital.

"I got into a fight."

"_You?_ A fight?" He was tempted to chuckle but that would have come off as unprofessional. "With who?"

Ruby tried to tell him. She tried to say that Gold had crept up on her in the evening and ripped out her heart, but her vocal chords refused to move the way she wanted them to. Gold's order for her not to tell would stand as long as he had her heart. "It doesn't matter."

"It wasn't Belle, was it?" he inquired with a wry grin.

Why did people keep talking to her about Belle? All Ruby wanted was to get the stitches in her arm removed and leave. She glowered at him and Whale shrugged.

"Just thought I'd ask."

_**- Flashback -**_

Robin had concluded the briefing on how they were to sneak into Rumpelstiltskin's castle. He had shown them the path they would take on a map sketched from memory and explained what traps might lay. Everyone agreed to Robin's leading the way; Regina grudgingly so.

"Are you certain you don't want to come along?" Belle asked as she walked alongside Ruby down the corridor.

"Someone should be here to hold down the fort." Ruby made a slightly pained face. "Plus, I'm not ready to find out if Rumpelstiltskin will incinerate me when he finds out we're together."

"That would only happen if Zelena commanded him to do it."

"I feel _so_ much better."

Belle stepped in front of Ruby and lightly placed one hand on her forearm and the other at her shirt placket. The difference in height between Rumpelstiltskin and Ruby meant that Belle needed to put forward a bit more effort to kiss Ruby, but it was always worth it. She softly touched their lips, "Better?" and smiled.

Ruby mirrored the gesture and dipped her head to Belle. "Better."

"Kindly take your _tale as old as time_ somewhere else," Regina snapped as she strode past the pair and didn't look back.

Ruby gaped at the queen's receding form. "I can't believe she just said that."

"I can't believe you didn't hear her approaching," Belle remarked.

The truth was embarrassing and Ruby felt herself flush as she regarded the reason. "My attention was… focused elsewhere."

Belle blushed in turn and she leaned against Ruby, ignoring Regina's order.

**- The Rabbit Hole -**

Making time to comb for Henry's book in the pawn shop didn't cause Belle to be late for her appointment, but when she arrived at the pub the king was already waiting at a table flush with the wall across from the bar.

She summoned every scrap of civility her noble upbringing had ingrained in her and advanced. "Thank you for meeting me," she said upon reaching the table.

Spencer tilted his glass of brandy. "I'll admit I'm curious as to why the person who initiated the prevention of my plan to control the town's law enforcement would want to speak with me."

Belle sat across from him and respectfully sent away a nearing employee. For this she needed a clear head. "Granny said she and David found Ruby's hood in the trunk of your car. Where did you get the hood from?"

He released a darkly amused snort. "I think you know. Or am I right, and your cleverness has run out?"

The knot of anxiety in her chest unfurled like cold sinister tendrils reaching through her. "Why would he give it to you? He must have known it belonged to Ruby."

"Why does that man do anything? The deals he makes have to be worth his while. Collateral damage is inconsequential."

"People are _not_ collateral damage."

The king tipped his glass to her – "You tell him that the next time you see him." – and then to his lips. "_If_ you can."

_**- Flashback -**_

It was a somber day for the kingdom. After making the trip to see Glinda and learning only the strongest light magic could defeat Zelena, David had decided the dark curse must be cast in order to reach Emma – and Snow, of course, would be the one to destroy his heart.

Ruby was waiting out the casting of the curse with Belle in her chamber when she said, "Snow is stronger than I am."

Belle turned away from the evening view outside the window. She was wearing an indigo taffeta dress, trimmed in black with coal lacing down the front. Most of Belle's dresses were fastened from the front, affording her the ability to dress herself.

From the bed Ruby had been admiring Belle, perched on the windowsill with the moonlight lending an ethereal quality to her graceful form. "I wouldn't be able to do what she has to."

Belle regarded Ruby for a moment, and then left her place by the window to sit on the bed beside her. "You would, because you know it would save everyone."

She solemnly shook her head. "I would rather it was _my_ heart."

This might have sounded like a romantic gesture in a sappy movie but Belle was more appalled by the resurgence of Ruby's martyr complex. "So you'd pass the burden of crushing the heart of the one I love most to _me?_"

Ruby's eyes alit with a mild wonder. She smiled at Belle, a little silly, a little playful. "You love me the most?"

It has always been easy for Belle to say she loved Rumpelstiltskin, but she had never paused to consider if she had loved him the most. She still cared for him, for who she had seen he could be; but more than Rumple, or her friends, or her father, there was Ruby. "Yes. Yes, of course I do."

Her smile grew and Ruby leaned forward, touching her forehead to Belle's. "And I love you the most," she softly declared before tilting her face to gently kiss her.

There was nothing so unusual about how Ruby was kissing her, but her lips felt warmer than normal and spread a heat down Belle's body which had been surfacing as of late. The feeling was stronger than those times in the past, and where those fleeting moments would end, at present Belle wished for it to continue.

She pushed herself up and rolled into Ruby's lap without breaking their connection while Ruby's hands travelled up her back. The dark curse would be arriving soon but its looming existence served as motivation rather than a deterrent. Gradually, Belle sat up and undid the lacing down her dress.

"_Belle_…"

Belle dove forward to kiss her again, and in the same instant reached for Ruby's hands, guiding them up to rest over her chest and the loosened lace. Belle sensed Ruby gasp against her lips, rewarding her initiative with a spark of delight. She pulled back, holding her gaze steady with Ruby's, and slowly let her hands fall to the side.

Ruby's hands were still on Belle. She could feel her heart beat, smell her skin, and see the burning reassurance of desire deep in her eyes. It was a hunger not like the wolf's, but one Ruby still understood – and was willing to satiate.

**- Toll Bridge -**

It was here during the first curse where Emma had sent Ruby to find evidence of what had happened to Kathryn. What she had uncovered was am image she could still see in her mind's eye, of a human heart stowed away in a box buried beneath the toll bridge. Thinking about it still unsettled her. It had been a heart of flesh and blood, the only kind people of this world ever saw from a body. Somehow Ruby could still feel a heartbeat if she placed a hand over her chest. Maybe it was part of the magic. It was like an artificial life.

A swishing sound disturbed the air. Ruby turned away from her view over the bridge and was startled to see her red hood hovering toward her like a ghost. There was something else in the air however, and she waited for her hood to reach her before snatching it from the air and revealing Belle behind it.

"You found me using magic. Hanging around Gold's must be rubbing off on you," said Ruby, not unkindly.

"I wanted to find you on my own, but I'm not a great tracker like you or Granny." She absently rubbed her hands together. "Or Snow." Her breath condensed into white puffs.

"And you walked all the way here in this weather?" Ruby met Belle the rest of the way and wrapped her in her hood. "Sometimes I don't know if you're crazy or devoted."

"I'll take devoted. You know how I feel about crazy."

"Right." Ruby's grin was rueful. "Sorry."

Belle's brow furrowed. "What happened _here?_" She reached for the contusion on Ruby's face but Ruby brushed the hand aside.

"A misunderstanding. Don't worry about it." She took in the crisp air and changed the topic. "So, what do you need me for?"

Her forgotten resolve returned with the hint of fret which came with divulging a secret. "This red hood… _your_ red hood…" She gripped a handful of the red material. "Spencer acquired it from Rumple's shop."

Ruby's expression didn't change. "I know."

Belle stared at her with parted lips. "You… you _know?_ How – Why haven't you said anything about it?"

"It didn't matter. It'd already happened. Besides, what would you have done if I'd told you?"

"I would have brought it up with Rumple."

Ruby smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, probably." She returned to looking out over the bridge and rested her arms on the balustrade. "You'd tell him what he did was wrong… he'd apologize… and you would forgive him."

Belle grimaced. "Don't make it sound like I'm a pushover."

"You're not a pushover, Belle. You're just too generous."

"That doesn't sound much better."

Ruby silently sighed and stepped away from the railing. "Come on. We should head back into town." She started to walk but then Belle blocked her path, pushing against her arms.

"What aren't you telling me? Is it about the case with Drew? Don't think I haven't noticed you haven't told me anything about it even though I was the one who prevented your arm from being shredded to pieces." Her tone was gradually becoming frantic but Ruby's retained a dry aloofness.

"It's not just that."

"Then _what? _What is it?" Her voice sounded loud in the air with all other noise absorbed by the falling snow.

"You don't _know_, Belle. You don't know what Gold has done, or what he's _still_ doing. You say that he's good, that he's trying – well he's not trying hard enough."

"Zelena –"

"Stop – Belle. I get it, okay? No matter what anyone says you'll always take Gold's side. You will always, choose, him."

There was something worse than having her decisions made for her. It was people thinking they knew what her decisions were. Belle was aware this was her own fault for not confessing but it didn't stop her from whipping off Ruby's hood in a fury and flinging it at her. "You aren't a _bit_ of an idiot, you _are_ an idiot!"

A wave of warm air buffeted against them setting off a reel of missing memories. Some were shared between them, including the final remembrance of an impassioned entanglement and a cloud of purple magic with flashes of green cascading over them.

All was quiet on the toll bridge. The snow had stopped. They looked at one another not knowing how to feel. They should have been glad to some extent, of having their memories of the missing year and their time together. It wasn't possible though, not when Belle saw Ruby's stony face or heard what she said:

"This doesn't change anything."

She didn't understand. She was being trapped again. "How does it not change anything? Our memories –"

"That's all they are – memories, in the past." Ruby shook her head and finally feeling came through in her expression, but it was a shadow of the look she had when she had left Belle chained in the library. "I can't love, Belle. I can't love you."

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A/N: We're coming close to the end!


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